1998/10/29 by Hector J. Martinez, H. J. Martinez, Manuel E. Merchan +5 · 2 citations
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Space Technology and Applications #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/306973
11 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ
arxiv created 1998/10/29 · openalex publication_date 1999/04/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
We compute quasar-galaxy and AGN-galaxy cross-correlation functions for samples taken from the Véron-Cetty & Véron catalog of quasars and active galaxies, using tracer galaxies taken from the Edinburgh/Durham Southern Catalog. The sample of active galaxy targets shows positive correlation at projected separations r p <6 h −1 Mpc consistent with the usual power law. On the other hand, we do not find a statistically significant positive quasar-galaxy correlation signal except in the range 3 h −1 Mpc< r p <6 h −1 Mpc, where we find similar AGN-galaxy and quasar-galaxy correlation amplitudes. At separations r p <3 h −1 Mpc, a strong decline of quasar-galaxy correlations is observed, suggesting a significant local influence of quasars in galaxy formation. In an attempt to reproduce the observed cross-correlation between quasars and galaxies, we have performed cold dark matter cosmological hydrodynamic simulations and tested the viability of a scenario based on the model developed by Silk & Rees. In this scheme a fraction of the energy released by quasars is considered to be transferred into the baryonic component of the intergalactic medium in the form of winds. The results of the simulations suggest that the shape of the observed quasar-galaxy cross-correlation function could be understood in a scenario where a substantial amount of energy is transferred to the medium at the redshift of maximum quasar activity.