A spatially resolved evolutionary sequence of multi-wavelength AGN host galaxies

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, vol. 546

Abstract

ABSTRACT We study the spatially resolved star formation, gas ionization, and outflow properties of 1813 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the MaNGA survey, which we classify into infrared (IR), broad-line (BL), narrow-line (NL), and radio (RD) AGNs based on their mid-infrared colours, optical spectra, and/or radio photometry. We also provide estimations of AGN power at different wavelengths. AGN incidence is found to increase with stellar mass following a power law, with the high-mass end dominated by RDAGNs and the low-mass end dominated by NLAGNs. Compared to their mass-matched non-AGN counterparts, we find that IRAGNs, BLAGNs, and NLAGNs on average show enhanced specific star formation rates, younger stellar populations, and harder ionization towards the centre. RDAGNs, in contrast, show radial profiles similar to quiescent galaxies. [O iii] outflows are more common and stronger in BL/IRAGNs, while RDAGNs on average show no outflow features. The outflow incidence increases with [O iii] luminosity, and the features in BL/IRAGNs on average extend to $\sim$2 kpc from the nuclei. We further discuss a possible evolutionary sequence of AGNs and their host galaxies, where AGNs with strong emission lines or dust tori are present in star-forming galaxies. Later, young compact radio jets emerge, the host galaxies gradually quench, and the AGN hosts eventually evolve into globally quiescent systems with larger radio jets that prevent further gas cooling.

Authors 5

1. Gaoxiang Jin corresponding

   Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics

   Affiliation as printed

   Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics , Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, D-85741 Garching ,

2. Guinevere Kauffmann

   Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics

   Affiliation as printed

   Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics , Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 1, D-85741 Garching ,

3. Y Sophia Dai

   Chinese Academy of Sciences · National Astronomical Observatories

   Affiliation as printed

   Chinese Academy of Sciences South America Center for Astronomy, National Astronomical Observatories , CAS, Beijing 100101 ,

4. M. J. Hardcastle

   University of Hertfordshire

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Hertfordshire Department of Physics, Astronomy and Mathematics, , College Lane, Hatfield AL10 9AB ,

5. Bohan Yue Aachen Leiden Observatory

   Leiden University · Royal Observatory · Leiden Observatory · University of Edinburgh

   Affiliation as printed

   Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh , Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh EH9 3HJ ,

   Leiden Observatory, Leiden University , PO Box 9513, NL-2300 RA Leiden ,