Researchers Zhuojun Deng, Cheng Xiang, Qihang Chen, Liang Jing, Xingyu Zhu, and Jianghua Wu from the University of Science and Technology of China have conducted a study on dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs), which is crucial for understanding the coevolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes. Their work was recently published in the Astrophysical Journal.
The team identified 173 new dual AGNs, along with 4 AGN triplets and 1 AGN quadruplet, all with low redshift (z < 0.5), a projected distance of no more than 100 kpc, and a line-of-sight velocity difference of less than 600 km/s. This discovery significantly supplements the existing demographics of low-redshift dual AGNs. The researchers performed a visual inspection of optical images from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument Legacy Survey for each pair, revealing that approximately 16% of the pairs exhibit tidal features. Statistical analyses showed an increasing number of dual AGNs with decreasing redshift, with velocity differences primarily at |Δv| < 300 km/s, which is likely an artifact of the selection strategy. The tidal sample peaked at 13 pairs within the 5-20 h^-1_70 kpc range but dropped to 1 pair at distances greater than 55 h^-1_70 kpc. The study also explored wide separation (r_p > 10 kpc) dual AGNs, finding 165 such systems, with 25 displaying clear tidal features. Additionally, some extra galaxies, AGNs, and/or their candidates were found in the same regions as the pairs or multiplets, forming interacting systems.
In the context of the energy industry, understanding the coevolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes can provide insights into the large-scale structure of the universe and the processes that govern the formation and evolution of galaxies. This knowledge can be applied to improve models of the universe’s energy distribution and dynamics, which are essential for developing new energy technologies and optimizing existing ones. Furthermore, the study of AGNs and their interactions can help in the search for dark matter and dark energy, which are believed to play a significant role in the universe’s energy budget.
The research was published in the Astrophysical Journal, a peer-reviewed scientific journal that covers all aspects of astronomical research.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.