Related papers: The merging/AGN connection: A case for 3D spectros…
We investigate the effect of embedded active galactic nuclei (AGN) in galaxy mergers on the CO molecular line emission by combining non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) radiative transfer calculations with hydrodynamic simulations. We…
This review describes recent developments related to the unified model of active galactic nuclei (AGN). It focuses on new ideas about the origin and properties of the central obscurer (torus), and the connection with its surrounding. The…
A direct consequence of hierarchical galaxy formation is the existence of dual supermassive black holes (SMBHs), which may be preferentially triggered as active galactic nuclei (AGN) during galaxy mergers. Despite decades of searching,…
Context: Galaxy interactions and mergers can lead to supermassive black hole (SMBH) binaries which become active galactic nuclei (AGN) pairs when the SMBHs start accreting mass. If there is a third galaxy involved in the interaction, then a…
We briefly review the synergy between X-ray and infrared observations for Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) detected in cosmic X-ray surveys, primarily with XMM-Newton, Chandra, and NuSTAR. We focus on two complementary aspects of this…
We explore the gas ionization and kinematics, as well as the optical--IR spectral energy distributions for UGC 11185, a nearby pair of merging galaxies hosting obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs), also known as SDSS J181611.72+423941.6…
Galaxy mergers are expected to have a profound influence on the star formation histories of galaxies. It is generally expected that mergers are the main drivers of galaxy mass growth through the accretion of mass and the triggering of new…
Which mechanism(s) are mainly driving nuclear activity in the centres of galaxies is a major unsettled question. In this study, we investigate the statistical relevance of galaxy mergers for fuelling gas onto the central few kpc of a…
The role of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) during galaxy interactions and how they influence the star formation in the system are still under debate. We use a sample of 1156 galaxies in galaxy pairs or mergers (hereafter `pairs') from the…
Major mergers between galaxies are predicted to fuel their central supermassive black holes (SMBHs), particularly after coalescence. However, determining the prevalence of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in mergers remains a challenge,…
Dual AGN are important for understanding galaxy-merger-triggered fueling of black holes and hierarchical growth of structures. The least explored type of dual AGN are those associated with mergers of two dwarf galaxies. According to…
Over the last five decades, AGN studies have produced a number of spectacular examples of synergies and multifaceted approaches in astrophysics. The field of AGN research now spans the entire spectral range and covers more than twelve…
Galaxy mergers are predicted to trigger accretion onto the central supermassive black holes, with the highest rates occurring during final coalescence. Previously, we have shown elevated rates of both optical and mid-IR selected active…
Mergers of galaxies have been suspected to be a major trigger of AGN activity for many years. However, when compared to carefully matched control samples, AGN host galaxies often show no enhanced signs of interaction. A common explanation…
We conducted a Spitzer Space Telescope survey of 28 Luminous (11 < log(LIR/L_odot) < 12, LIRGs) and Ultra-Luminous Infrared Galaxies (log(LIR/L_odot) > 12, ULIRGs). Many of these galaxies are found in pairs or associations and are powered…
Models of galaxy formation invoke the major merger of gas-rich progenitor galaxies as the trigger for significant phases of black hole growth and the associated feedback that suppresses star formation to create red spheroidal remnants.…
There is an ongoing debate concerning the driver of nuclear activity in galaxies, with AGN either being triggered by major or minor galactic mergers or, alternatively, through secular processes like cooling gas accretion and/or formation of…
Dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and offset AGNs are kpc-scale separation supermassive black holes pairs created during galaxy mergers, where both or one of the black holes are AGNs, respectively. These dual and offset AGNs are valuable…
Due to the compactness active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are still unresolved with optical observations. However, structure and physical conditions of the matter in their central parts are especially important to study the processes of the…
Mergers are suspected to be reliable triggers of both starformation and AGN activity. However, the exact timing of this process remains poorly understood. Here, we present deep imaging and long slit spectroscopy data of a sample of four…