Mass ejection in the form of winds or jets appears to be as fundamental to quasar activity as accretion. A convincing argument for radiation pressure driving this ionized outflow can be made within the dust sublimation radius. Beyond, radiation pressure is even more ubiquitous, as high energy photons from the central engine can now push on dust grains. This physics underlies the dusty-wind model for the putative obscuring torus. Specifically, the dusty wind in our model is first launched from the outer accretion disk as a magneto-centrifugal wind and then accelerated and shaped by radiation pressure from the central continuum. Such a wind can plausibly account for both the necessary obscuring medium to explain the observed ratio of broad-to-narrow-line quasars and the mid-infrared emission commonly seen in quasar spectral energy distributions.

Mid-infrared (MIR) quasar spectra exhibit a suite of emission features including high ionization coronal lines from the narrow line region (NLR) illuminated by the ionizing continuum, and hot dust features from grains, as well as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) features from star formation in the host galaxy. Few features are detected in most spectra because of typically low signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) data. By generating spectral composites in three different luminosity bins from over 180 Spitzer Ifnfrared Spectrograph (IRS) observations, we boost the S/N and reveal important features in the complex spectra. We detect high-ionization, forbidden emission lines in all templates, PAH features in all but the most luminous objects, and broad silicate and graphite features in emission whose strength increases relative to the continuum with luminosity. We find that the intrinsic quasar spectrum for all luminosity templates is consistent, and the differences in the spectra can be explained by host galaxy contamination in the lower luminosity templates. We also posit that star formation may be active in most quasar host galaxies, but the spectral features of star formation are only detectable if the quasar is faint.

Multiwavelength identification of AGN is crucial not only to obtain a more complete census, but also to learn about the physical state of the nuclear activity (obscuration, efficiency, etc.). A panchromatic strategy plays an especially important role when the host galaxies are star-forming. Selecting far-Infrared galaxies at 0.3<z<1, and using AGN tracers in the X-ray, optical spectra, mid-infrared, and radio regimes, we found a twice higher AGN fraction than previous studies, thanks to the combined AGN identification methods and in particular the recent Mass-Excitation (MEx) diagnostic diagram. We furthermore find an intriguing relation between AGN X-ray absorption and the specific star formation rate (sSFR) of the host galaxies, indicating a physical link between X-ray absorption and either the gas fraction or the gas geometry in the hosts. These findings have implications for our current understanding of both the AGN unification model and the nature of the black hole-galaxy connection.

There exist strong evidence supporting the co-evolution of central supermassive black holes and their host galaxies; however it is still under debate how such a relation comes about and whether it is relevant for all or only a subset of galaxies. A rich multi-wavelength dataset is available for the North Ecliptic Pole field, most notably surveyed by the AKARI infrared space telescope. We investigate the star-formation properties of the host galaxies of radio-AGN together with the radio feedback mechanism, potentially responsible for the eventual quenching of star formation. Using broadband SED modelling, the nuclear and host galaxy components of these sources are studied as a function of their radio luminosity. Here we present results concerning the AGN content of the radio sources in this field, while offering evidence supporting a “maintenance” type of feedback from powerful radio-jets.

We selected and studied 180 pairs with d V < 800 km s−1 and Dp < 60 kpc containing Markarian (MRK) galaxies to investigate the dependence of galaxies integral parameters, star-formation (SF) and active galactic nuclei (AGN) properties on kinematics of pairs, their structure and large-scale environments. Projected radial separation Dp and perturbation level P are better measures of interaction strength than dV. The latter correlates with the density of large-scale environment and with the morphologies of galaxies. Both galaxies in a pair are of the same nature, the only difference is that MRK galaxies are usually brighter than their neighbors. Specific star formation rates (SSFR) of galaxies in pairs with smaller Dp or d V is in average 0.5 dex higher than that of galaxies in pairs with larger Dp or d V. Closeness of a neighbor with the same and later morphological type increases the SSFR, while earlier-type neighbors do not increase SSFR. Major interactions/mergers trigger SF and AGN more effectively than minor ones. The fraction of AGNs is higher in more perturbed pairs and pairs with smaller Dp. AGNs typically are in stronger interacting systems than star-forming and passive galaxies. There are correlations of both SSFRs and spectral properties of nuclei between pair members.

We discuss the morphology of star forming clouds and filaments in the central (≲ 50 kpc) regions of 16 low redshift (z<0.3) cool core brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs). The sample spans decades-wide ranges of X-ray mass deposition and star formation rates as well as active galactic nucleus (AGN) mechanical power, encompassing both high and low extremes of the supposed intracluster medium (ICM) cooling and AGN heating feedback cycle. Amid evidence that the gas fueling both star formation and AGN activity has condensed from the hot atmosphere, we present new and archival Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images of far ultraviolet (FUV) continuum emission directly associated with young stars, acting as a calorimeter for the degree to which the suppression of star formation by AGN mechanical feedback may be spatially or temporally inefficient. We discuss evidence for temporal and possibly cyclical variation in star formation rate, wherein elevated cooling episodes are permitted when AGN feedback is in a low-power state, and vice-versa. Several sources exhibit strong morphological evidence that low levels of star formation can survive and may indeed be triggered by the passage of a propagating radio source. We conclude by discussing the apparent coexistence of feedback and star formation. If AGN mechanical power does establish an “entropy floor”, this floor must be porous, or raise and lower as the AGN varies in power.

Using a set of simulations in the ΛCDM cosmology, and the mass of intermediate X-Ray Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) dark matter halos (DMH), we study the Halo Occupation Distribution (HOD) of their host DMH and compare with recent observations. We assume that intermediate X-Ray AGNs have been triggered by a major merger of sub-halos inside larger host halos. We find that the binary major merger HOD slope (α ≈ 0.8) do not seem to reproduce the observed HOD slope (α < 0.6) for these type of AGNs. Other mechanisms may be igniting these AGNs.

Compact groups of galaxies (CGG) have revealed some interesting problems from their origin and lifetime to the evolution of their members in such dense configurations. Some authors suppose that CGG probably are the best location for AGNs in the local Universe. According to our preliminary data about 7–10% of member galaxies in Shahbazian compact groups (SHCGs) are emission-line galaxies including the broad-line AGN and the narrow emission-line galaxies. Shahbazian 355/4 is a classical Seyfert 1 galaxy at the same redshift as host group. Moreover Shahbazian 278/4 is also a broad-line AGN in an early-type galaxy. This is the first emission-line object in SHCGs. Meanwhile there is no Seyfert 1 galaxy among the spectroscopically investigated galaxies in the South compact groups, although more than 70% of the member galaxies in these groups probably have an active nucleus. The UZC- compact groups have an excess of Seyfert 2s (but not Seyfert 1s!). Further observational studies are necessary to understand such and many other questions related to the puzzle of CGG.

In this work, we present an analysis of SNe number ratios in spiral galaxies with different morphological subtypes, luminosities, sSFR, and metallicities, to provide important information about the physical properties of the progenitor populations.

High-redshift quasars are thought to reside in the most massive halos in the early universe and should therefore be located in fields with overdensities of galaxies, which are expected to evolve into galaxy clusters seen in the local Universe. In Bañados et al. (2013), we used deep narrow-band imaging to study the environment of the z=5.72 quasar ULAS J0203 + 0012. The redshift range probed by our narrow band selection is Δz ~ 0.1. This was the first time that Lyman alpha emitters (LAEs) were searched for near a z ~ 6 quasar, to provide clues on the surroundings of quasars at the end of the epoch of reionization. The main result of this work is that no enhancement of LAEs has been found in the surroundings of ULAS J0203 + 0012. We discuss different explanations and interpretations for this non-detection of a galaxy overdensity.

With the goal of investigating the link between black hole (BH) and star formation (SF) activity, we study a deep sample of radio selected star forming galaxies (SFGs) and active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Using a multi-wavelength approach we characterize their host galaxies properties (stellar masses, optical colors, and morphology). Moreover, comparing the star formation rate derived from the radio and far-infrared luminosity, we found evidences that the main contribution to the radio emission in the radio-quiet AGNs is star-formation activity in their host galaxy.

Several works have shown that there is an empirical correlation between the star formation rate and the luminosity of the active galactic nucleus (and thus the black hole accretion rate, ṀBH) of Seyfert galaxies. This suggests a physical relation between the gas forming stars on kpc scales and the gas on sub-pc scales that is feeding the black hole. Simulations predict this relation and also that the correlation should be more prominent on smaller physical scales. We have compiled high angular resolution (0.4–0.8″) mid-infrared spectroscopy obtained with T-ReCS, VISIR, and Michelle of 29 Seyferts. We use the 11.3 μm PAH feature to probe the star formation activity in the inner ~65 pc, and its relation with the ṀBH on these physical scales.

We present near-infrared spectra of young radio quasars selected by cross-correlating the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) all-sky survey catalog with the radio catalog [Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty cm (FIRST) and NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS)]. The objects have typical redshifts of z ≈ 2 and [O III] luminosities of 107 erg s−1 comparable to those of luminous quasars. The observed flux ratios of narrow emission lines indicate that these objects appear to be powered by active galactic nuclei. The [O III] line is broad, with full width at half maximum ~1300 to 2100 km s−1, significantly larger than that of ordinary quasars. These large line widths might be explained by jet-induced outflows.

Fossil galaxy groups are energetically and morphologically ideal environments to study the intergalactic medium (IGM) heating, because their inter-galactic gas is undisturbed due to the lack of recent group scale mergers. We study the role of active galactic nuclei (AGN) in heating the IGM in a sample of five fossil galaxy groups by employing properties at 610 MHz and 1.4 GHz. We find that two of the dominant galaxies in fossil groups, ESO 3060170 and RX J1416.4+2315, are associated with the radio lobes. We evaluate the PdV work of the radio lobes and their corresponding heating power and compare to the X-ray emission loss within cooling radius. Our results show that the power due to mechanical heating is not sufficiently high to suppress the cooling.

We investigate the influence of close neighbor galaxies on the properties of supernovae (SNe) and their host galaxies using 56 SNe located in pairs of galaxies with different levels of star formation (SF) and nuclear activity. The mean distance of type II SNe from nuclei of hosts is greater by about a factor of 2 than that of type Ibc SNe. The distributions and mean distances of SNe are consistent with previous results compiled with the larger sample. For the first time it is shown that SNe Ibc are located in pairs with significantly smaller difference of radial velocities between components than pairs containing SNe Ia and II. We consider this as a result of higher star formation rate (SFR) of these closer systems of galaxies.

We present multiwavelength study of a sample of radio loud early-type galaxies chosen from the B2 sample. We performed surface photometry in BVR broad band filters and Hα narrow band filter on CCD images of sample galaxies using IGO 2m telescope, Pune (INDIA), to get radial profiles of various photometric and geometrical parameters that describe elliptical isophotes fitted to the 2D light distribution of the galaxies. The analysis of radial profiles of quantities such as the (local) surface brightness, the ellipticity, and the deviations from elliptical isophotes parametrized by the Fourier coefficients are main focus of our study. We generated color maps, residual maps, and dust extinction maps, Hα emission maps of the galaxies to study the morphology of the dust and ionized gas content present in the galaxies. We carried out detailed analysis of the properties of the dust present in our sample galaxies. Additionaly, we investigated properties of the dust in the central ~10 arcsec region of our sample galaxies using optical images available from the HST (WFPC2) data archive. We estimated mass and temperature of the dust, molecular gas mass, in the sample galaxies using FIR fluxes of the galaxies obtained from IRAS.

We used spectroscopic data available from the SDSS (DR7) to get an estimate of the mass of the central super massive black-hole for B2 1257+28 (NGC 4874). We plotted rotation curve for coma cluster (Abell 1656), which indicates the presence of dark matter halo around the galaxy B2 1257+28.

I will argue that observations of the diffuse gas in the outskirts of quasar host galaxies, or the so called circumgalactic medium, are essential for understanding how luminous quasars evolve in a cosmological context. Such observations also provide a fruitful comparison to theory, because hydrodynamics at moderate overdensities is much easier to simulate than the complicated processes which trigger quasar activity. A novel technique will be introduced, whereby a foreground quasar can be studied in absorption against a background quasar, resolving scales as small as 30 kpc. This experiment reveals a rich absorption spectrum which contains a wealth of information about the physical conditions of diffuse gas around quasars. Hydrodynamical simulations of the massive dark matter halos which host luminous quasars under predict the amount of cool gas observed in quasar environs by a large factor, challenging our understanding of how massive galaxies form. I will also discuss a very sensitive search for Ly-alpha emission from the same gas which we study in absorption.

The Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS) is combining imaging and spectroscopic data from the Herschel, Spitzer, Hubble, GALEX, Chandra, and XMM-Newton space telescopes augmented with extensive ground-based observations in a multiwavelength study of approximately 180 Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIRGs) and 20 Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs) that comprise a statistically complete subset of the 60μm-selected IRAS Revised Bright Galaxy Sample. The objects span the full range of galaxy environments (giant isolated spirals, wide and close pairs, minor and major mergers, merger remnants) and nuclear activity types (Seyfert 1, Seyfert 2, LINER, starburst/HII), with proportions that depend strongly on the total infrared luminosity. I will review the science motivations and present highlights of recent results selected from over 25 peer-reviewed journal articles published recently by the GOALS Team. Statistical investigations include detection of high-ionization Fe K emission indicative of deeply embedded AGN, comparison of UV and far-IR properties, investigations of the fraction of extended emission as a function of wavelength derived from mid-IR spectroscopy, mid-IR spectral diagnostics and spectral energy distributions revealing the relative contributions of AGN and starbursts to powering the bolometric luminosity, and quantitative structure analyses that delineate the evolution of stellar bars and nuclear stellar cusps during the merger process. Multiwavelength dissections of individual systems have unveiled large populations of young star clusters and heavily obscured AGN in early-stage (II Zw 96), intermediate-stage (Mrk 266, Mrk 273), and late-stage (NGC 2623, IC 883) mergers. A recently published study that matches numerical simulations to the observed morphology and gas kinematics in mergers has placed four systems on a timeline spanning 175-260 million years after their first passages, and modeling of additional (U)LIRGs is underway. A very brief description of ongoing work with Herschel and ALMA will be given. The talk will conclude with a discussion of the demographics of dual AGN (kpc-scale orbits) in the GOALS sample, including the difficulty of their detection and confirmation, a proposed sequence representing a progression from dual AGN to binary AGNs (sub-pc scale orbits), and implications for the scarcity of confirmed binary QSOs in recent large surveys. Grant support from NASA is gratefully acknowledged.

It is known that among active galaxies (AG) with strong emission lines (UV-galaxies, Sy1 and Sy2, Markarian and Kazarian galaxies, radio-galaxies, QSOs host galaxies and so on) there is a large percentage of objects with double and multiple (or complex) nuclei. The common sizes of these nuclei are of the order of a few hundred parsecs or kiloparsecs. We shall discuss the results of morphological and spectroscopic observations of a number of “active galaxies” carried out with the 5m Palomar telescope, 2.6m telescope of Ambartsumian Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory, 6m telescope of Special Astrophysical Observatory in Russia, and newer Hubble Space Telescope data.

When galaxies merge, gas accretes onto both central supermassive black holes. Thus, one expects to see dual active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in a fraction of galaxy mergers. Candidates for galaxies containing dual AGNs have been identified by the presence of double-peaked narrow [O III] emission lines and by high spatial resolution images of close galaxy pairs. 30% of double-peaked narrow [OIII] emission line SDSS AGNs have two spatial components within a 3″ radius. However, spatially resolved spectroscopy is needed to confirm these galaxy pairs as systems with double AGNs. With the Keck 2 Laser Guide Star Adaptive Optics system and the OSIRIS near-infrared integral field spectrograph, we obtained spatially resolved spectra for SDSS J095207.62+255257.2, confirming that it contains a Type 1 and a Type 2 AGN separated by 4.8 kpc (=1.0″). We performed similar integral field and long-slit spectroscopy observations of more spatially separated candidate dual AGNs and will report on the varied results. By assessing what fraction of radio-quiet double-peaked emission line SDSS AGNs are true dual AGNs, we can better constrain the statistics of dual AGNs and characterize physical conditions throughout these interacting AGNs.