We have conducted a multi-wavelength survey of distant (1.3 < z < 2.6) luminous quasars host galaxies using the Keck integral field spectrograph (IFS) OSIRIS and laser guide star adaptive optics (LGS-AO) system, ALMA, HST and VLA. Studying distant quasar host galaxies is essential for understanding the role of active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback on the interstellar medium (ISM), and its capability of regulating the growth of massive galaxies and their supermassive black holes (SMBH). The combination of LGS-AO and OSIRIS affords the necessary spatial resolution and contrast to disentangle the bright quasar emission from that of its faint host galaxy. We resolve the nebular emission lines, [OIII], [NII],, and [SII] at a sub-kiloparsec resolution to study the distribution, kinematics, and dynamics of the warm-ionized ISM in each quasar host galaxy. The goal of the survey was to search for ionized outflows and relate their spatial extent and energetics to the star-forming properties of the host galaxy. Combining ALMA and OSIRIS, we directly test whether outflows detected with OSIRIS are affecting the molecular ISM. We find that several mechanisms are responsible for driving the outflows within our systems, including radiation pressure in low and high column density environments as well as adiabatic and isothermal shocks driven by the quasar. From line ratio diagnostics, we obtain resolved measurements of the photoionization mechanisms and the gas-phase metallicity. We find that the quasars are responsible for photoionizing the majority of the ISM with metalicities lower than that of gas photoionized by AGN in the low redshift systems. We are now obtaining detailed observations of the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of these systems with the Keck Cosmic Web Imager (KCWI). The gas in the CGM may play an essential role in the evolution of these galaxies.

NGC 7469 is a well-known type 1 AGN with a cirumnuclear star formation ring. It has previous detections of X-rays warm absorbers and an infrared biconical outflow. We analysed archival MUSE/VLT observations of this galaxy in order to look for an optical counterpart of these outflows. We report spatially resolved winds in the [O III] λ5007 emission line in two regimes: a high velocity regime possibly associated with the AGN and a slower one associated with the massive star formation of the ring. This slower regime is also detected with Hβ.

Detecting the seed black holes from which quasars formed is extremely challenging; however, those seeds that did not grow into supermassive should be found as intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) of 100 – 105 M⊙ in local dwarf galaxies. The use of deep multiwavelength surveys has revealed that a population of actively accreting IMBHs (low-mass AGN) exists in dwarf galaxies at least out to z ˜3. The black hole occupation fraction of these galaxies suggests that the early Universe seed black holes formed from direct collapse of gas, which is reinforced by the possible flattening of the black hole-galaxy scaling relations at the low-mass end. This scenario is however challenged by the finding that AGN feedback can have a strong impact on dwarf galaxies, which implies that low-mass AGN in dwarf galaxies might not be the untouched relics of the early seed black holes. This has important implications for seed black hole formation models.

The origin of the supermassive black hole masses MSMBH discovered at the highest redshifts is still actively debated. Moreover the statistically significant relation of MSMBH with bulge luminosities LV, extended on several magnitude orders, confirms a common physical process linking small (≤ 1pc) to large (kpcs) size scales. The Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) of two z=3.8 radio galaxies 4C41.17 and TN J2007-1316, best-fitted by evolved early type galaxy and starburst scenarios also imply masses of stellar remnants. Computed with the evolutionary code Pegase.3, the cumulated stellar black hole mass MsBH reach up to several 109M⊙, similar to MSMBH at same z. We propose the SMBH growth is due to the migration of the stellar dense residues (sBH) towards the galaxy core by dynamical friction. Discussed in terms of time-scales, this process which is linking AGN and star formation, also fully justifies the famous relation MSMBH-LV.

We present Faraday rotation measure (RM) properties of seven active galactic nuclei (AGN), observed with the NRAO VLA at three epochs in 2012-2014. Data was taken at 1.4, 2.2, 5.0, 8.2, 15.4, 22.4, 33.5 and 43.1 GHz quasi simultaneously in full polarization mode. For the first time RMs were calculated in a range of wavelengths covering more than one order of magnitude: from 21 cm up to 6 mm. We measured RM for each source and showed a tendency to increase its value toward high frequencies according to the law |RM|~νa with a = 1.6±0.1. For 0710+439, we observed an increase over the frequency range of 4 orders of magnitude and measured one of the highest RM ever, (−89±1)⋅103 rad/m2. Analysis of different epochs shows variations of the value and the sign of RM on short and long time-scales. This may be caused by changing physical conditions in the compact regions of the AGN jets, e.g., strength of magnetic field, particle density and so on.

We analyze a sample of 30,000 nearby obscured AGNs with SDSS and WISE. We use a “pair-matching” technique to subtract the host 4.6μm contribution, with the aid of SDSS data. By combining Seyferts with local SDSS quasars, we show that the [Oiii] and the intrinsic AGN 4.6μm luminosities correlate roughly linearly over 4 orders of magnitude, despite of large scatter. We also compare the partition functions of the total integrated 4.6μm and [Oiii] line luminosities from Seyferts and IR-bright LINERs, as function of a variety of host galaxy properties. The result suggests the optical and the IR selected AGNs represent the same galaxy population. We further study the environment of the AGNs, finding a link between the IR nuclear emission and the galaxy interaction.

We study the formation, growth, and co-evolution of single and multiple supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and compact objects like neutron stars, white dwarfs, and stellar mass black holes in galactic nuclei and star clusters, focusing on the role of stellar dynamics. In this paper we focus on one exemplary topic out of a wider range of work done, the study of orbital parameters of binary black holes in galactic nuclei (binding energy, eccentricity, relativistic coalescence) as a function of initial parameters. In some cases the classical evolution of black hole binaries in dense stellar systems drives them to surprisingly high eccentricities, which is very exciting for the emission of gravitational waves and relativistic orbit shrinkage. Such results are interesting to the emerging field of gravitational wave astronomy, in relation to a number of ground and space based instruments designed to measure gravitational waves from astrophysical sources (VIRGO, Geo600, LIGO, LISA). Our models self-consistently cover the entire range from Newtonian dynamics to the relativistic coalescence of SMBH binaries.

Zircon is a very interesting accessory mineral, a kind of ‘crustal diamond’, easily recycled and recording through large morphological variability the main rock-forming events. Since 1985, a systematic study of chemical variability of zircon in magmatic rocks has led to the definition of three main generations in zircon populations: inherited phase 1, magmatic phase 2 and late magmatic phase 3. Hafnium and yttrium appear to be the most useful for source characterisation, especially if using phase 2 data. As a consequence, a new diagram of HfO2 versus Y2O3 is proposed, divided into domains la to 6b to describe the distribution of the genetic groups and the specific domains for anorogenic and orogenic rocks. Zircon in anorogenic granitoids: tholeiitic plagiogranites (high Y, low Hf), hypersolvus (medium to low Y, low Hf) and subsolvus (medium to high Y and Hf) alkaline granites/rhyolites, has separate mean distributions. Genetic relations existing between rocks with obvious textural differences (granites, microgranites, rhyolites) are also recognised. Zircon in orogenic granitoids is Y-poor and shows a very limited distribution, but the minimal average values in magmatic zircon vary from 11 000 wt ppm HfO2 in the calc-alkaline suite, to 12 000 ppm in the peraluminous porphyritic granites and to 13 500 ppm in entirely crustal anatectic granites and migmatites. Mixing-mingling processes are proposed to explain the intermediate characteristics of zircons and rocks in the peraluminous porphyritic and K-subalkaline granites. This is consistent with the time emplacement and space distribution of these two orogenic members, but leads to a new proposal of emplacement of some alkaline subsolvus magmas during orogenic cycles.

Arbuscular mycorrhizas are a widespread symbiosis between soil fungi and plant roots. Flow cytometry, after DNase I partial digestion and DAPI staining, and light and electron microscopy were used to analyse chromatin condensation and nuclear conditions in mycorrhizal and control roots of Allium porrum. The 2C peak, detected by flow cytometry, split into two peaks representing two populations of nuclei, one more resistant and one more susceptible to the enzyme action. The microscopic analyses showed the presence of pyknotic and chromatolytic nuclei, two typical features of senescence. In order to quantify the senescing process, a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase assay was performed on extracted nuclei, later analysed by flow cytometry. The numbers of senescing nuclei and their DNA cleavage were higher in control plants. Our results show the existence of senescing nuclei in cortical cells of the bulbous monocotyledon A. porrum and the delaying effect of arbuscular mycorrhizas on senescence.