Nuclear Activity in Galaxies: a 3D Perspective from the Nucleus to the Outskirts

    General
    Description

    This project consists of two main research lines. First, the study of quasar-driven outflows in luminous and nearby obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN) and the impact that they have on their massive host galaxies (AGN feedback). To do so, we have obtained Gran Telescopio CANARIAS (GTC) infrared and optical observations with the instruments CanariCam, EMIR and MEGARA, as well as with ALMA in the sub-mm/mm regime. Part of this project is being done within the framework of the H2020 Innovative Training Network BID4BEST. The group is also devoted to obtain and exploit observing time with the JWST and ALMA as part of the GATOS consortium (Galactic Activity, Torus and Outflow Survey) with the aim of characterizing nuclear obscuration and the gas flow cycle in local AGN. Second, the application of integral field spectroscopy to the study of extended objects (active and star forming galaxies) to investigate the triggering of both phenomena. We also contribute to the development of new instruments and data analysis procedures related to 3D observing techniques. In particular, we participate in the development of HARMONI, the first-light high-spatial resolution integral field spectrograph for the ESO Extremely Large Telescope.

    Principal investigator
    Project staff
    1. Publication of a letter in MNRAS in which we studied the interplay between the ionized gas winds and the young stellar populations in the type-2 quasar Mrk 34 (Bessiere & Ramos Almeida 2022). We find evidence of positive and negative feedback happening in different parts of the same galaxy, induced by the ionized outflow. This study, part of the QSOFEED project, opens a new window to investigate the direct impact of nuclear activity on star formation in galaxies.

    2. Publication of a detailed study of the ionized and warm molecular gas kinematics in the type-2 quasar J0945+1737, part of the QSOFEED sample (Speranza et al. 2022). We reported measurements of an ionized outflow with a maximum outflow rate of 51 Msun/yr, and lack of its warm molecular counterpart.

    3. The European Network H2020-ITN-2019 "Big Data Applications for Black Hole Evolution Studies" (BID4BEST) started on March, 1st 2020 (end date Feb, 28th 2024). PhD student Giovanna Speranza started her contract at the IAC in September 2020.

    4. The total budget awarded to this project through external funding sources corresponds to 1.152.000 euros (452.000 euros - PI: C. Ramos & 700.000 euros - PI: B. García). This only includes projects starting in or after 2020, and most of the funding has been invested in hiring new researchers. Currently we are the IAC group with larger female participation.

    5. Publication of the two first papers based on the GATOS sample (García-Burillo et al. 2021; Alonso-Herrero et al. 2021). The GATOS collaboration was awarded two JWST proposals in Cycle 1, led by D. Rosario (University of Newcastle, UK) and T. Shimizu (MPE, Germany).

    6. Publication of a study of the morphology and kinematics of the cold molecular in a sample of type-2 quasars (QSO2s) at z=0.1 (Ramos Almeida et al. 2022). The study is based on data from the ALMA interferometer in the mm range, and it is part of the QSOFEED project.

    7. Publication of the work García-Lorenzo et al. (2022), which presents an analysis of the capabilities of HARMONI to reveal the stellar morpho-kinematic properties of the host galaxies of AGNs at cosmic noon.

    Related publications

    • Deep Herschel observations of the 2 Jy sample: assessing the non-thermal and AGN contributions to the far-IR continuum

      The far-IR/sub-mm wavelength range contains a wealth of diagnostic information that is important for understanding the role of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in galaxy evolution. Here we present the results of Herschel PACS and SPIRE observations of a complete sample of 46 powerful 2 Jy radio AGN at intermediate redshifts (0.05 < z < 0.7), which

      Dicken, D. et al.

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      3
      2023
      Citations
      0
    • Absence of nuclear polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission from a compact starburst: The case of the type-2 quasar Mrk 477

      Mrk 477 is the closest type-2 quasar, at a distance of 163 Mpc. This makes it an ideal laboratory for studying the interplay between nuclear activity and star formation with a great level of detail and signal-to-noise. In this Letter we present new mid-infrared (mid-IR) imaging and spectroscopic data with an angular resolution of 0.4″ (∼300 pc)

      Ramos Almeida, C. et al.

      Advertised on:

      1
      2023
      Citations
      2
    • The demographics of obscured AGN from X-ray spectroscopy guided by multiwavelength information

      A complete census of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is a prerequisite for understanding the growth of supermassive black holes across cosmic time. A significant challenge towards this goal is the whereabouts of heavily obscured AGN that remain uncertain. This paper sets new constraints on the demographics of this population by developing a

      Laloux, Brivael et al.

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      1
      2023
      Citations
      5
    • CO in the ALMA Radio-source Catalogue (ARC): The molecular gas content of radio galaxies as a function of redshift

      To evaluate the role of radio activity in galaxy evolution, we designed a large archival CO survey of radio galaxies (RGs) to determine their molecular gas masses at different epochs. We used a sample of 120 RGs representative of the NVSS 1.4 GHz survey, when flux limited at 0.4 Jy. Of those, 66 galaxies belonged to the ALMA Radio-source Catalogue

      Audibert, A. et al.

      Advertised on:

      12
      2022
      Citations
      3
    • Torus and polar dust dependence on active galactic nucleus properties

      We present a statistical analysis of the properties of the obscuring material around active galactic nuclei (AGN). This study represents the first of its kind for an ultra-hard X-ray (14-195 keV; Swift/BAT), volume-limited (DL < 40 Mpc) sample of 24 Seyfert (Sy) galaxies (BCS40 sample) using high angular resolution infrared data and various torus

      García-Bernete, I. et al.

      Advertised on:

      11
      2022
      Citations
      12
    • The stellar populations of quiescent ultra-diffuse galaxies from optical to mid-infrared spectral energy distribution fitting

      We use spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting to place constraints on the stellar population properties of 29 quiescent ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) across different environments. We use the fully Bayesian routine PROSPECTOR coupled with archival data in the optical, near, and mid-infrared from Spitzer and Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

      Buzzo, Maria Luisa et al.

      Advertised on:

      12
      2022
      Citations
      16
    • A high angular resolution view of the PAH emission in Seyfert galaxies using JWST/MRS data

      Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are carbon-based molecules that are ubiquitous in a variety of astrophysical objects and environments. In this work we use JWST/MIRI MRS spectroscopy of three Seyferts to compare their nuclear PAH emission with that of star-forming (SF) regions. This study represents the first of its kind to use sub-arcsecond

      García-Bernete, I. et al.

      Advertised on:

      10
      2022
      Citations
      14
    • Low-power jet-interstellar medium interaction in NGC 7319 revealed by JWST/MIRI MRS

      We present JWST/MIRI MRS spectroscopy of NGC 7319, the largest galaxy in the Stephan's Quintet, observed as part of the Early Release Observations (ERO). NGC 7319 hosts a type 2 active galactic nucleus (AGN) and a low-power radio jet (L1.4 GHz = 3.3 × 1022 W Hz−1) with two asymmetric radio hotspots at 430 pc (N2) and 1.5 kpc (S2) projected

      Pereira-Santaella, M. et al.

      Advertised on:

      9
      2022
      Citations
      13
    • Warm molecular and ionized gas kinematics in the type-2 quasar J0945+1737

      We analyse Near-Infrared Integral Field Spectrograph (NIFS) observations of the type-2 quasar (QSO2) SDSS J094521.33+173753.2 to investigate its warm molecular and ionized gas kinematics. This QSO2 has a bolometric luminosity of 1045.7 erg s−1 and a redshift of z = 0.128. The K-band spectra provided by NIFS cover a range of 1.99-2.40 μm where low

      Speranza, G. et al.

      Advertised on:

      9
      2022
      Citations
      14
    • Unexplored outflows in nearby low luminosity AGNs. The case of NGC 1052

      Context. Multi-phase outflows play a central role in galaxy evolution shaping the properties of galaxies. Understanding outflows and their effects in low luminosity active galactic nuclei (AGNs), such as low ionisation nuclear emission line regions (LINERs), is essential. LINERs bridge the gap between normal and active galaxies, being the most

      Cazzoli, S. et al.

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      8
      2022
      Citations
      9
    • Lessons from the massive relic NGC 1277: Remaining in situstar formation in the cores of massive galaxies

      Near-ultraviolet (NUV) spectroscopic studies have suggested that passively evolving massive, early-type galaxies host sub-one per cent fractions of young stars in their innermost regions. We shed light on the origin of these stars by analysing NGC 1277, a widely studied nearby prototypical massive compact relic galaxy. These are rare galaxies that

      Salvador-Rusiñol, N. et al.

      Advertised on:

      9
      2022
      Citations
      5
    • BASS. XXIX. The Near-infrared View of the Broad-line Region (BLR): The Effects of Obscuration in BLR Characterization

      Virial black hole (BH) mass (M BH) determination directly involves knowing the broad-line region (BLR) clouds' velocity distribution, their distance from the central supermassive BH (R BLR), and the virial factor (f). Understanding whether biases arise in M BH estimation with increasing obscuration is possible only by studying a large (N > 100)

      Ricci, Federica et al.

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      7
      2022
      Citations
      17
    • BASS. XXV. DR2 Broad-line-based Black Hole Mass Estimates and Biases from Obscuration

      We present measurements of broad emission lines and virial estimates of supermassive black hole masses (M BH) for a large sample of ultrahard X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGNs) as part of the second data release of the BAT AGN Spectroscopic Survey (BASS/DR2). Our catalog includes M BH estimates for a total of 689 AGNs, determined from the

      Mejía-Restrepo, Julian E. et al.

      Advertised on:

      7
      2022
      Citations
      28
    • Testing the role of AGN on the star formation and metal enrichment of 'twin galaxies'

      We explore the effect of AGN activity on the star formation history of galaxies by analysing the stellar population properties of 10 pairs of nearby twin galaxies - selected as being visually similar except for the presence of an AGN. The selection of such twin samples represents a method to study AGN feedback, as recently proposed by del Moral

      Angthopo, J. et al.

      Advertised on:

      9
      2022
      Citations
      1
    • The MURALES survey. VI. Properties and origin of the extended line emission structures in radio galaxies

      This is the sixth paper presenting the results of the MUse RAdio Loud Emission line Snapshot survey. We observed 37 radio sources from the 3C sample with z < 0.3 and a declination < 20° with the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer optical integral field spectrograph at the Very Large Telescope. Here, we focus on the properties of the extended

      Balmaverde, B. et al.

      Advertised on:

      6
      2022
      Citations
      5
    • Spatially resolved evidence of the impact of quasar-driven outflows on recent star formation: the case of Mrk 34

      We present the results of our spatially resolved investigation into the interplay between the ages of the stellar populations and the kinematics of the warm ionized outflows in the well-studied type II quasar Markarian 34 (Mrk 34). Utilizing integral field spectroscopy data, we determine the spatial distribution of the young stellar population (YSP

      Bessiere, P. S. et al.

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      5
      2022
      Citations
      16
    • Low-metallicity globular clusters in the low-mass isolated spiral galaxy NGC 2403

      The globular cluster (GC) systems of low-mass late-type galaxies, such as NGC 2403, have been poorly studied to date. As a low mass galaxy (M* = 7 × 109 M⊙), cosmological simulations predict NGC 2403 to contain few, if any, accreted GCs. It is also isolated, with a remarkably undisturbed HI disc. Based on candidates from the literature, Sloan

      Forbes, Duncan A. et al.

      Advertised on:

      5
      2022
      Citations
      2
    • Quantifying the cool ISM in radio AGNs: evidence for late-time retriggering by galaxy mergers and interactions

      We use deep Herschel observations of the complete 2Jy sample of powerful radio active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the local Universe (0.05 < z < 0.7) to probe their cool interstellar medium (ISM) contents and star-forming properties, comparing them against other samples of nearby luminous AGNs and quiescent galaxies. This allows us to investigate

      Bernhard, E. et al.

      Advertised on:

      5
      2022
      Citations
      5
    • HARMONI view of the host galaxies of active galactic nuclei around cosmic noon. Resolved stellar morpho-kinematics and the M<SUB>BH</SUB> − σ<SUB>⋆</SUB> relation

      Context. The formation and evolution of galaxies appear linked to the growth of supermassive black holes, as evidenced by empirical scaling relations in nearby galaxies. Understanding this co-evolution over cosmic time requires the revelation of the dynamical state of galaxies and the measurement of the mass of their central black holes (MBH) at a

      García-Lorenzo, B. et al.

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      3
      2022
      Citations
      0
    • The Complex Infrared Dust Continuum Emission of NGC 1068: Ground-based N- and Q-band Spectroscopy and New Radiative Transfer Models

      Thanks to ground-based infrared and submillimeter observations the study of the dusty torus of nearby active galactic nuclei has greatly advanced in the last years. With the aim of further investigating the nuclear mid-infrared emission of the archetypal Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068, here we present a fitting to the N- and Q-band Michelle/Gemini

      Victoria-Ceballos, César Ivan et al.

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      2
      2022
      Citations
      5

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