2024/02/07 by Shoshannah Byrne-Mamahit, David R. Patton, Byrne-Mamahit, Shoshannah +13 · 2 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomical Observations and Instrumentation #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA) #FOS: Physical sciences #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2402.05196
openalex publication_date 2024/02/07 · openalex created_date 2024/02/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We investigate the connection between the most luminous active galactic nuclei (AGN), galaxy pairs, and post-mergers in the IllustrisTNG simulation. We select galaxy pairs and post-mergers with a mass ratio between 1:10 < μ< 1:1 and a redshift between 01044 erg/s occur in ∼ 26% of paired galaxies with a companion within 20 kpc, compared with ∼ 14% in controls (a fractional excess of ∼2). The enhancement of AGN in galaxy pairs is luminosity dependent, with the highest excess (a factor of ∼6±2 at the closest separations) for AGN with Lbol>1045 erg/s. Additionally, pairs exhibit a modest yet statistically significant excess of luminous AGN up to ∼150 kpc in separation. For pairs which merge between 01045 erg/s, ∼55% are interacting, compared with a 30% interaction fraction in AGN with 1044