Tracing the AGN-Merger Connection: Insights from Cosmological Simulations and JWST Mock Observations

Context. Investigating whether and how galaxy mergers affect black hole growth can be a determinant for black hole-galaxy coevolution models and, in particular, for understanding how early Universe seed black holes grew to become supermassive. However, while mergers have been observed to enhance the active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity and thus black hole growth in massive galaxies, it is not yet known how this relation and the role of the environment translates to dwarf galaxies (the most likely hosts of the early seed black holes) since there are scarce and mixed results in the literature. Aims. We seek to assess the impact of galaxy mergers and the environment on AGN triggering in dwarf galaxies. Methods. We used a sample of 3280 dwarf galaxies with integral-field spectroscopic data from the MaNGA survey to study the AGN fraction throughout the merger process and how it is affected by the environment (characterized by galaxy isolation, being in a void, and group richness). We also compare the fraction of interacting galaxies in AGN and non-AGN dwarf galaxies. Results. We find that dwarf galaxy mergers can ignite AGNs at separations below 20 kpc. The AGN fraction increases notoriously after the first pass and remains enhanced until the final stage. However, mergers are not the dominant AGN triggering mechanism. We also find that the environment has a non-negligible impact on AGN activity in dwarf galaxies, as the AGN fraction increases when moving to lower density environments. These findings provide the most statistically robust constraints to date on the effects of dwarf galaxy mergers and environment on AGN activity and black hole growth.

This review examines the connection between X-ray-selected Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and their host galaxies, focusing on how X-ray observations provide insights into AGN structure and clustering. AGNs, powered by supermassive black holes, are key drivers of galaxy evolution, and X-ray data play a critical role in studying these energetic phenomena. The unified model of AGNs, which attributes differences between type 1 (unobscured) and type 2 (obscured) AGNs to orientation effects, is discussed. However, variations in clustering between these two types challenge this model, suggesting additional factors influence their evolution. Detecting AGN clusters in the X-ray band remains difficult due to observational biases and limitations, but such studies are vital for understanding how AGNs form and interact within large-scale structures. Host galaxy properties, including luminosity, stellar mass, and star formation rate, are analyzed for their impact on AGN clustering. Research indicates that AGN luminosity is strongly linked to the mass of the dark matter halos surrounding their host galaxies. This relationship may vary depending on the triggering mechanism of the AGN, such as galaxy mergers or internal instabilities. Differences in AGN clustering patterns provide insights into the diverse pathways through which AGNs are activated. AGN feedback, which describes how AGNs influence star formation in their host galaxies, is another key focus. Observations suggest that at higher redshifts, brighter AGNs tend to enhance star formation rates, showing a complex interplay between AGN activity and galaxy growth. By synthesizing recent observational results, this review highlights the central role of AGNs in shaping galaxies and their environments. It provides a deeper understanding of how AGNs interact with their host galaxies and larger cosmic structures, offering valuable insights into the processes driving galaxy evolution over cosmic time.

The most rapidly evolving regions of galaxies often display complex optical spectra with emission lines excited by massive stars, shocks and accretion onto supermassive black holes. Standard calibrations (such as for the star formation rate) cannot be applied to such mixed spectra. In this paper we isolate the contributions of star formation, shock excitation and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity to the emission line luminosities of individual spatially resolved regions across the central 3 $\times$ 3 kpc$^2$ region of the active barred spiral galaxy NGC$\sim$613. The star formation rate and AGN luminosity calculated from the decomposed emission line maps are in close agreement with independent estimates from data at other wavelengths. The star formation component traces the B-band stellar continuum emission, and the AGN component forms an ionization cone which is aligned with the nuclear radio jet. The optical line emission associated with shock excitation is cospatial with strong $H_2$ and [Fe II] emission and with regions of high ionized gas velocity dispersion ($\sigma > 100$ km s$^{-1}$). The shock component also traces the outer boundary of the AGN ionization cone and may therefore be produced by outflowing material interacting with the surrounding interstellar medium. Our decomposition method makes it possible to determine the properties of star formation, shock excitation and AGN activity from optical spectra, without contamination from other ionization mechanisms.

We present integral field spectroscopy observations, covering the [O III]4959,5007 emission-line doublet of eight high-redshift (z=1.4-3.4) ultra-luminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) that host Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) activity, including known sub-millimetre luminous galaxies (SMGs). The targets have moderate radio luminosities that are typical of high-redshift ULIRGs (L(1.4GHz)=10^(24)-10^(25)W/Hz) and therefore are not radio-loud AGN. We de-couple kinematic components due to the galaxy dynamics and mergers from those due to outflows. We find evidence in the four most luminous systems (L([O III])>~10^(43)erg/s) for the signatures of large-scale energetic outflows: extremely broad [O III] emission (FWHM ~ 700-1400km/s) across ~4-15kpc, with high velocity offsets from the systemic redshifts (up to ~850km/s). The four less luminous systems have lower quality data displaying weaker evidence for spatially extended outflows. We estimate that these outflows are potentially depositing energy into their host galaxies at considerable rates (~10^(43)-10^(45)erg/s); however, due to the lack of constraints on the density of the outflowing material and the structure of the outflow, these estimates should be taken as illustrative only. Based on the measured maximum velocities (v(max)~400-1400km/s) the outflows observed are likely to unbind some fraction of the gas from their host galaxies, but are unlikely to completely remove gas from the galaxy haloes. By using a combination of energetic arguments and a comparison to ULIRGs without clear evidence for AGN activity, we show that the AGN activity could be the dominant power source for driving all of the observed outflows, although star formation may also play a significant role in some of the sources.

We present a new technique for observationally identifying galaxy mergers spectroscopically rather than through host galaxy imaging. Our technique exploits the dynamics of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) powering active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in merger-remnant galaxies. Because structure in the universe is built up through galaxy mergers and nearly all galaxies host a central SMBH, some galaxies should possess two SMBHs near their centers as the result of a recent merger. These SMBHs spiral to the center of the resultant merger-remnant galaxy, and one or both of the SMBHs may power AGNs. Using the DEEP2 Galaxy Redshift Survey, we have examined 1881 red galaxies, of which 91 exhibit [O III] and Hbeta emission lines indicative of Seyfert 2 activity. Of these, 32 AGNs have [O III] emission-line redshifts significantly different from the redshifts of the host galaxies' stars, corresponding to velocity offsets of ~50 km/s to ~300 km/s. Two of these AGNs exhibit double-peaked [O III] emission lines, while the remaining 30 AGNs each exhibit a single set of velocity-offset [O III] emission lines. After exploring a variety of physical models for these velocity offsets, we argue that the most likely explanation is inspiralling SMBHs in merger-remnant galaxies. Based on this interpretation, we find that roughly half of the red galaxies hosting AGNs are also merger remnants, which implies that mergers may trigger AGN activity in red galaxies. The AGN velocity offsets we find imply a merger fraction of ~30% and a merger rate of ~3 mergers/Gyr for red galaxies at redshifts 0.34 < z < 0.82.

Context. Galaxy mass and environment play a major role in the evolution of galaxies. In the transition from star-forming to quenched galaxies, active galactic nuclei (AGNs) also have a principal action therein. However, the connections between these three actors are still uncertain. Aims. In this work we investigate the effects of stellar mass and the large-scale structure (LSS) environment on the fraction of optical nuclear activity in a population of isolated galaxies, where AGN would not be triggered by recent galaxy interactions or mergers. Methods. As a continuation of a previous work, we focus on isolated galaxies to study the effect of stellar mass and the LSS in terms of morphology (early- and late-type), colour (red and blue), and specific star-formation rate (quenched and star-forming). To explore where AGN activity is affected by the LSS, we separate galaxies into two groups, of low- and high mass, respectively, and use the tidal strength parameter to quantify the effects. Results. We found that AGN is strongly affected by stellar mass in “active” galaxies (namely late-type, blue, and star-forming), but that mass has no influence on “quiescent” galaxies (namely early-type, red, and quenched), at least for masses down to 1010 M⊙. In relation to the LSS, we found an increase in the fraction of star-forming nuclei galaxies with denser LSS in low-mass star-forming and red isolated galaxies. Regarding AGN, we find a clear increase in the fraction of AGNs with denser environment in quenched and red isolated galaxies, independently of the stellar mass. Conclusions. Active galactic nuclei activity appears to be “mass triggered” in active isolated galaxies. This means that AGN activity is independent of the intrinsic properties of the galaxies, but is dependent on their stellar mass. On the other hand, AGN activity appears to be “environment triggered” in quiescent isolated galaxies, where the fraction of AGNs as a function of specific star formation rate and colour increases from void regions to denser LSS, independently of stellar mass.

Context. Merger events can trigger gas accretion onto supermassive black holes (SMBHs) located at the centre of galaxies and form close pairs of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). The fraction of AGNs in pairs offers critical insights into the dynamics of galaxy interactions, SMBH growth, and their co-evolution with host galaxies. However, the identification of dual AGNs is difficult, as it requires high-quality spatial and spectral data; hence, very few pairs have been found in the distant Universe so far. Aims. This study is aimed at providing a first observational estimate of the fraction of dual AGNs at 2 &lt; z &lt; 6 by analysing a sample of 16 AGNs observed with the JWST Near-InfraRed Spectrograph (NIRSpec) in integral field mode, as part of the GA-NIFS survey. For two AGNs in our sample, we also incorporated archival VLT/MUSE data to expand the search area. Methods. We searched for nearby companion galaxies and emission-line sources within the ∼20 × 20 kpc field of view of the NIRSpec data cubes, extending up to ∼50 kpc using the MUSE data cubes. We analysed the spectra of such emitters to determine their physical and kinematic properties. Results. We report the serendipitous discovery of a triple AGN system and four dual AGNs (two of which had been considered as candidates), with projected separations in the range 3−28 kpc. The results of this study more than double the number of known multiple AGNs at z &gt; 3 at these separations. Their AGN classification is mainly based on standard optical emission line flux ratios, as observed with JWST/NIRSpec, and complemented with additional multi-wavelength diagnostics. The identification of these 3−5 multiple AGNs out of the 16 AGN systems in the GA-NIFS survey (i.e. ∼20−30%) suggests they might be more common than previously thought from other observational campaigns. Moreover, our inferred fraction of dual AGN moderately exceeds predictions from cosmological simulations that mimic our observational criteria (∼10%). Conclusions. This work highlights the exceptional capabilities of NIRSpec for detecting distant dual AGNs, prompting new investigations to constrain their fraction across cosmic time.

We report new, sensitive observations of two z ˜ 3-3.5 far-infrared-luminous radio galaxies, 6C 1909+72 and B3 J2330+3927, in the 12CO J = 1-0 transition with the Karl Jansky Very Large Array and at 100-500 m using Herschel, alongside new and archival 12CO J = 4-3 observations from the Plateau de Bure Interferometer. We introduce a new colour-colour diagnostic plot to constrain the redshifts of several distant, dusty galaxies in our target fields. A bright SMG near 6C 1909+72 likely shares the same node or filament as the signpost active galactic nuclei (AGN), but it is not detected in 12CO despite ˜20 000 km s-1 of velocity coverage. Also in the 6C 1909+72 field, a large, red dust feature spanning ≈500 kpc is aligned with the radio jet. We suggest several processes by which metal-rich material may have been transported, favouring a collimated outflow reminiscent of the jet-oriented metal enrichment seen in local cluster environments. Our interferometric imaging reveals a gas-rich companion to B3 J2330+3927; indeed, all bar one of the eight z ≳ 2 radio galaxies (or companions) detected in 12CO provide some evidence that starburst activity in radio-loud AGN at high redshift is driven by the interaction of two or more gas-rich systems in which a significant mass of stars has already formed, rather than via steady accretion of cold gas from the cosmic web. We find that the 12CO brightness temperature ratios in radio-loud AGN host galaxies are significantly higher than those seen in similarly intense starbursts where AGN activity is less pronounced. Our most extreme example, where L CO 4-3'/L CO 1-0'&gt;2.7, provides evidence that significant energy is being deposited rapidly into the molecular gas via X-rays and/or mechanical ('quasar-mode') feedback from the AGN, leading to a high degree of turbulence globally and a low optical depth in 12CO - feedback that may lead to the cessation of star formation on a time-scale commensurate with that of the jet activity, ≲10 Myr.

Aims. By exploiting photometry from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), we investigate the influence of environment and stellar mass on the prevalence of different excitation types in the interstellar gas of the central regions of galaxies in the Herschel Reference Survey (HRS, z ≈ 0.0047). We extend this analysis to a complementary sample of relatively nearby galaxies that are undergoing ram-pressure stripping (RPS, z ≈ 0.0195). Our goal is to assess whether a connection exists between active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity and either the cluster environment or the ram pressure stripping process. Methods. We computed WISE mid-infrared colour indices from fluxes extracted from central apertures and applied two established mid-infrared diagnostic diagrams to distinguish AGN activity from non-AGN, and star-forming galaxy (SFG) excitation from that associated with ‘retired’ galaxies. The resulting types of excitation were then used in conjunction with stellar mass and environment classifications to construct a stellar mass-excitation fraction relation. Results. The stellar mass-excitation fraction relation reveals that global stellar mass is the primary driver of excitation diversity in galaxy centres. In increasing order of prevalence, excitation types follow a sequence from SFGs to retired galaxies with increasing mass. The number of low-mass galaxies is too small to drive statistical tendencies. In contrast, SFG excitation becomes dominant at intermediate masses. At the highest mass end, the retired-galaxy type clearly prevails. Across the full mass range and in nearly all environments, SFG excitation is the most common, except for H I -gas deficient HRS galaxies, which are mostly retired. The excitation properties of galaxies undergoing RPS resemble those of HRS cluster members, field galaxies, and normal H I -content galaxies, minimising the environmental role. Contrary to previous results, we do not see any increase in AGN activity in H I -deficient cluster galaxies or in those undergoing RPS, since its fractions (∼10% for Seyfert 2 and ∼20% for low-ionisation nuclear emission-line region, LINER) remain largely unaffected along all environments. Conclusions. These findings indicate that while rich environments are associated with certain excitation types, stellar mass remains the primary driver of excitation diversity in galaxy centres.

Recent X-ray observations reveal growing evidence for heating by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in clusters and groups of galaxies. AGN outflows play a crucial role in explaining the riddle of cooling flows and the entropy problem in clusters. Here we study the effect of AGNs on the intracluster medium in a cosmological simulation using the adaptive mesh refinement FLASH code. We pay particular attention to the effects of conductivity and viscosity on the dissipation of weak shocks generated by the AGN activity in a realistic galaxy cluster. Our three-dimensional simulations demonstrate that both viscous and conductive dissipation play an important role in distributing the mechanical energy injected by the AGNs, offsetting radiative cooling and injecting entropy to the gas. These processes are important even when the transport coefficients are at a level of 10% of the Spitzer value. Provided that both conductivity and viscosity are suppressed by a comparable amount, conductive dissipation is likely to dominate over viscous dissipation. Nevertheless, viscous effects may still affect the dynamics of the gas and contribute a significant amount of dissipation compared to radiative cooling. We also present synthetic Chandra observations. We show that the simulated buoyant bubbles inflated by the AGN, and weak shocks associated with them, are detectable with the Chandra observatory.

Differentiating between active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity and star formation in z ∼ 2 galaxies is difficult because traditional methods, such as line-ratio diagnostics, change with redshift, while multi-wavelength methods (X-ray, radio, IR) are sensitive to only the brightest AGNs. We have developed a new method for spatially resolving emission lines using the Hubble Space Telescope/Wide Field Camera 3 G141 grism spectra and quantifying AGN activity through the spatial gradient of the [O iii]/Hβ line ratio. Through detailed simulations, we show that our novel line-ratio gradient approach identifies ∼40% more low-mass and obscured AGNs than obtained by classical methods. Based on our simulations, we developed a relationship that maps the stellar mass, star formation rate, and measured [O iii]/Hβ gradient to the AGN Eddington ratio. We apply our technique to previously studied stacked samples of galaxies at z ∼ 2 and find that our results are consistent with these studies. This gradient method will also be able to inform other areas of galaxy evolution science, such as inside-out quenching and metallicity gradients, and will be widely applicable to future spatially resolved James Webb Space Telescope data.

Context. A fundamental question of extra-galactic astronomy that is yet to be fully understood, concerns the evolution of the star formation rate (SFR) and supermassive black hole (SMBH) activity with cosmic time, as well as their interplay and how it impacts galaxy evolution. A primary focus that could shed more light on these questions is the study of merging systems, comprising highly star-forming galaxies (SFGs) and active galactic nuclei (AGN) at the earliest stages of galactic formation. However, considering the challenges associated with identifying these objects, it is essential to explore complementary selection methods across multiple wavelengths. Aims. The primary objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of a sample of high-redshift (z &gt; 3) far-infrared (far-IR) and radio-emitting galaxies in the highest possible spatial resolution. The aim is to study the properties of this population, such as their morphological characteristics, and to explore the interplay of SFR and SMBH activity at this epoch. Methods. In order to select the galactic population of our interest, we employed two selection criteria that have frequently been used as separate methods in the literature. In more detail, we selected galaxies that present relatively compact radio morphologies at 1.4 GHz (i.e., an angular size smaller than 10 arcsec) as well as a far-IR spectrum that peaks in flux at λ ≥ 350 μm (i.e., flux350 μm &gt; flux250 μm). For these selection criteria, we used the COSMOS and ECDF-S fields, two of the most extensively observed astronomical fields currently available, which provide high spectral and spatial resolution at a multi-wavelength scale. By accepting only galaxies that satisfied these selection criteria, we derived a sample of eight galaxies that were identified either photometrically or spectroscopically at z &gt; 3 from literature studies and by our team. Results. A thorough investigation of available optical, near-IR, and millimetre (mm) imaging reveals a possible merging scenario in five out of eight cases in our sample. Additionally, available multi-wavelength photometry strongly suggests active star formation at the 103 M⊙ yr−1 level in massive systems (stellar masses of M⋆ ∼ 1011 M⊙) co-hosting an active SMBH. Conclusions. Comparison of these results with previous studies, suggests that our selection method preferentially identifies galaxies hosting an active SMBH, as well as a strong SFG component, resulting in high SFR and IR luminosity. An additional examination of the efficacy of the radio and far-IR selection criteria provides further support for their combined application in selecting co-evolving AGN and star formation activity at high redshift. In this regard, future use of these selection criteria on radio and far-IR/mm observations of statistically larger galaxy samples is of high interest.

We investigate the multi-wavelength properties of host galaxies of 3701 X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) out to z ∼ 5 in the Chandra-COSMOS Legacy Survey. Thanks to the extensive multi-wavelength photometry available in the COSMOS field, we derive AGN luminosities, host stellar masses, and star formation rates (SFRs) via a multi-component SED fitting technique. Type 1 and Type 2 AGNs follow the same intrinsic L 2–10 keV–L 6 μm relation, suggesting that mid-infrared emission is a reasonably good measure of the AGN accretion power regardless of obscuration. We find that there is a strong increase in Type 1 AGN fraction toward higher AGN luminosity, possibly due to the fact that Type 1 AGNs tend to be hosted by more massive galaxies. The AGN luminosity and SFR are consistent with an increase toward high stellar mass, while the M stellar dependence is weaker toward the high-mass end, which could be interpreted as a consequence of quenching both star formation and AGN activity in massive galaxies. AGN host galaxies tend to have SFRs that are consistent with normal star-forming galaxies, independent of AGN luminosities. We confirm that black hole accretion rate and SFR are correlated up to z ∼ 5, when forming stars. The majority (∼73%) of our AGN sample are faint in the far-infrared, implying that the moderate-luminosity AGNs seem to be still active after the star formation is suppressed. It is not certain whether AGN activity plays a role in quenching the star formation. We conclude that both AGN activity and star formation might be more fundamentally related to host stellar mass.

Powerful winds driven by active galactic nuclei are often thought to affect the evolution of both supermassive black holes and their host galaxies, quenching star formation and explaining the close relationship between black holes and galaxies. Recent observations of large-scale molecular outflows in ultraluminous infrared galaxies support this quasar-feedback idea, because they directly trace the gas from which stars form. Theoretical models suggest that these outflows originate as energy-conserving flows driven by fast accretion-disk winds. Proposed connections between large-scale molecular outflows and accretion-disk activity in ultraluminous galaxies were incomplete because no accretion-disk wind had been detected. Conversely, studies of powerful accretion-disk winds have until now focused only on X-ray observations of local Seyfert galaxies and a few higher-redshift quasars. Here we report observations of a powerful accretion-disk wind with a mildly relativistic velocity (a quarter that of light) in the X-ray spectrum of IRAS F11119+3257, a nearby (redshift 0.189) optically classified type 1 ultraluminous infrared galaxy hosting a powerful molecular outflow. The active galactic nucleus is responsible for about 80 per cent of the emission, with a quasar-like luminosity of 1.5×10(46) ergs per second. The energetics of these two types of wide-angle outflows is consistent with the energy-conserving mechanism that is the basis of the quasar feedback in active galactic nuclei that lack powerful radio jets (such jets are an alternative way to drive molecular outflows).

Accretion disks around supermassive black holes (SMBH) in the centers of galaxies are the central engines of active galactic nuclei (AGN), which are observable over the entire electromagnetic spectrum and out to the beginning of galaxy formation. The gradual assembly of galaxies is believed to have resulted in SMBH today. The growth of SMBH is largely hidden by dust, and possibly by large time delays between galaxy mergers and the feeding of the central monster, so the connection between galaxy assembly and SMBH growth is currently at best circumstantial. Facilities like HST WFC3 and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) are needed to trace this process from the epoch of reionization to the present.Using panchromatic deep HST WFC3+ACS imaging data, grism spectra, and ground‐based spectroscopy in GOODS and the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), we address this issue through the epoch‐dependent rate of major mergers in massive galaxies in the HUDF, and through SED‐fitting of objects with and without (known) AGN in GOODS. On average, the field galaxy population at z = 1–6 has an underlying star‐forming SED with typical ages of 0.1–0.2 Gyr. However, most AGN‐dominated objects at z = 0.5–1.5 have an underlying stellar SED age of ∼1 Gyr on average. This suggests that AGN growth and SMBH feeding may become visible 0.5–1 Gyr after the dynamical event which triggers the dominant starburst at these redshifts. This may also be reflected in the peak in the massive galaxy major merger rate compared to the peak in the redshift distribution of weak AGN. Finally, we discuss how JWST will expand on this topic in the next decade from the epoch of first light to the present.