SMBH accretion properties of radio-selected AGN out to z ∼ 4

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Ivan Delvecchio
• Author: Vernesa Smolčić
• Author: G. Zamorani
• Author: D. J. Rosario
• Author: M. Bondi
• Author: S. Marchesi
• Author: T. Miyaji
• Author: Mladen Novak; MBZ: 344074
• Author: M. T. Sargent
• Author: D. M. Alexander
• Author: Jacinta Delhaize
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Science; (Department of Physics)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: NATURAL SCIENCES; Physics; Astronomy and Astrophysics

Abstract (english)

Exploring how radio-emitting active galactic nuclei (AGNs) behave and evolve with time is critical for understanding how AGN feedback impacts galaxy evolution. In this work, we investigate the relationship between 1.4 GHz radio continuum AGN luminosity (L^AGN_1.4), specific black hole accretion rate (s-BHAR, defined as the accretion luminosity relative to the galaxy stellar mass), and redshift, for a luminosity-complete sample of radio-selected AGNs in the VLA COSMOS 3 GHz Large Project. The sample was originally selected from radio- continuum observations at 3 GHz, and includes about 1800 radio AGNs identified via (>2 σ) radio-excess relative to the infrared-radio correlation of star-forming galaxies. We further select a subsample of over 1200 radio AGNs that is complete in (L^AGN_1.4) over different redshift ranges, out to z ∼ 4, and use X-ray stacking to calculate the average s- BHAR in each (L^AGN_1.4)-z bin. We find that the average s-BHAR is independent of (L^AGN_1.4), at all redshifts. However, we see a strong increase of s-BHAR with redshift, at fixed (L^AGN_1.4). This trend resembles the strong increase in the fraction of star-forming host galaxies [based on the (NUV − r)/(r − J) colours] with redshift, at fixed (L^AGN_1.4). A possible explanation for this similarity might imply a link between average AGN radiative power and availability of cold gas supply within the host galaxy. This study corroborates the idea that radio-selected AGNs become more radiatively efficient towards earlier epochs, independently of their radio power.

• Keywords (english): galaxies: active; galaxies: jets; galaxies: nuclei; radio continuum: galaxies
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review - international
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
• Numbering: vol. 481, pp. 4971-4983
• p-ISSN: 0035-8711
• e-ISSN: 1365-2966
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty2600
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:217:226895
• Publication: 2018
• Document URL: https://academic.oup.com/mnras/article-abstract/481/4/4971/5106360
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Public note: © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society. Accepted 2018 September 14; Received 2018 August 21; In original form 2018 June 28.
• Created on: 2020-03-01 10:32:24