scholarly journals Simulations of the Milky Way’s Central Molecular Zone – II. Star formation

2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (4) ◽  
pp. 5024-5040 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattia C Sormani ◽  
Robin G Tress ◽  
Simon C O Glover ◽  
Ralf S Klessen ◽  
Cara D Battersby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
Zone Ii ◽  
Sgr A ◽  
Large Scale Flow ◽  
Induced Changes

ABSTRACT The Milky Way’s Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) has emerged in recent years as a unique laboratory for the study of star formation. Here we use the simulations presented in Tress et al. to investigate star formation in the CMZ. These simulations resolve the structure of the interstellar medium at sub-parsec resolution while also including the large-scale flow in which the CMZ is embedded. Our main findings are as follows. (1) While most of the star formation happens in the CMZ ring at $R\gtrsim 100 \, {\rm pc}$, a significant amount also occurs closer to Sgr A* at $R \lesssim 10\, {\rm pc}$. (2) Most of the star formation in the CMZ happens downstream of the apocentres, consistent with the ‘pearls-on-a-string’ scenario, and in contrast to the notion that an absolute evolutionary timeline of star formation is triggered by pericentre passage. (3) Within the time-scale of our simulations (∼100 Myr), the depletion time of the CMZ is constant within a factor of ∼2. This suggests that variations in the star formation rate are primarily driven by variations in the mass of the CMZ, caused, for example, by active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback or externally induced changes in the bar-driven inflow rate, and not by variations in the depletion time. (4) We study the trajectories of newly born stars in our simulations. We find several examples that have age and 3D velocity compatible with those of the Arches and Quintuplet clusters. Our simulations suggest that these prominent clusters originated near the collision sites where the bar-driven inflow accretes on to the CMZ, at symmetrical locations with respect to the Galactic Centre, and that they have already decoupled from the gas in which they were born.

scholarly journals The Effect of Bars on the Fueling of Star Formation and Nonstellar Activity in Galaxy Nuclei

1996 ◽  
Vol 157 ◽  
pp. 188-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis C. Ho ◽  
Alexei V. Filippenko ◽  
Wallace L. W. Sargent
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Massive Stars ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Central Star ◽  
Morphological Type ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
Barred Galaxies

AbstractTheoretical studies suggest that large-scale stellar bars can be highly effective in delivering gas to the central few hundred parsecs of a spiral galaxy, which may then initiate rapid star formation. Further instabilities may lead to additional inflow to physical scales relevant for active galactic nuclei. We test these predictions in light of recent observations. Compared to unbarred spirals, barred galaxies of type S0-Sbc have a higher probability of exhibiting nuclear star formation, as well as a higher formation rate of massive stars; neither effect is present in spirals of later morphological type. Bars, on the other hand, do not have an obvious influence on active nuclei. We discuss the implications of these findings for the fueling of central star formation and active nuclei.

scholarly journals Chandra COSMOS Legacy Survey: Clustering dependence of Type 2 active galactic nuclei on host galaxy properties

2019 ◽  
Vol 632 ◽  
pp. A88
Author(s):  
V. Allevato ◽  
A. Viitanen ◽  
A. Finoguenov ◽  
F. Civano ◽  
H. Suh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Stellar Mass ◽  
Host Galaxy ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Normal Galaxies ◽  
Massive Halos

Aims. We perform clustering measurements of 800 X-ray selected Chandra COSMOS Legacy (CCL) Type 2 active galactic nuclei (AGN) with known spectroscopic redshift to probe the halo mass dependence on AGN host galaxy properties, such as galaxy stellar mass Mstar, star formation rate (SFR), and specific black hole accretion rate (BHAR; λBHAR) in the redshift range z = [0−3]. Methods. We split the sample of AGN with known spectroscopic redshits according to Mstar, SFR and λBHAR, while matching the distributions in terms of the other parameters, including redshift. We measured the projected two-point correlation function wp(rp) and modeled the clustering signal, for the different subsamples, with the two-halo term to derive the large-scale bias b and corresponding typical mass of the hosting halo. Results. We find no significant dependence of the large-scale bias and typical halo mass on galaxy stellar mass and specific BHAR for CCL Type 2 AGN at mean z ∼ 1, while a negative dependence on SFR is observed, i.e. lower SFR AGN reside in richer environment. Mock catalogs of AGN, matched to have the same X-ray luminosity, stellar mass, λBHAR, and SFR of CCL Type 2 AGN, almost reproduce the observed Mstar − Mh, λBHAR − Mh and SFR–Mh relations, when assuming a fraction of satellite AGN fAGNsat ∼ 0.15. This corresponds to a ratio of the probabilities of satellite to central AGN of being active Q ∼ 2. Mock matched normal galaxies follow a slightly steeper Mstar − Mh relation, in which low mass mock galaxies reside in less massive halos than mock AGN of similar mass. Moreover, matched mock normal galaxies are less biased than mock AGN with similar specific BHAR and SFR, at least for Q >  1.

scholarly journals Non-equilibrium chemistry and destruction of CO by X-ray flares

2019 ◽  
Vol 486 (1) ◽  
pp. 1094-1122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Mackey ◽  
Stefanie Walch ◽  
Daniel Seifried ◽  
Simon C O Glover ◽  
Richard Wünsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Thermal Evolution ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Galactic Centre ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Uv Emission ◽  
Sgr A ◽  
X Ray Binaries ◽  
Fractal Cloud

ABSTRACT Sources of X-rays such as active galactic nuclei and X-ray binaries are often variable by orders of magnitude in luminosity over time-scales of years. During and after these flares the surrounding gas is out of chemical and thermal equilibrium. We introduce a new implementation of X-ray radiative transfer coupled to a time-dependent chemical network for use in 3D magnetohydrodynamical simulations. A static fractal molecular cloud is irradiated with X-rays of different intensity, and the chemical and thermal evolution of the cloud are studied. For a simulated $10^5\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$ fractal cloud, an X-ray flux <0.01 erg cm−2 s−1 allows the cloud to remain molecular, whereas most of the CO and H2 are destroyed for a flux of ≥1 erg cm−2 s−1. The effects of an X-ray flare, which suddenly increases the X-ray flux by 105×, are then studied. A cloud exposed to a bright flare has 99 per cent of its CO destroyed in 10–20 yr, whereas it takes >103 yr for 99 per cent of the H2 to be destroyed. CO is primarily destroyed by locally generated far-UV emission from collisions between non-thermal electrons and H2; He+ only becomes an important destruction agent when the CO abundance is already very small. After the flare is over, CO re-forms and approaches its equilibrium abundance after 103–105 yr. This implies that molecular clouds close to Sgr A⋆ in the Galactic Centre may still be out of chemical equilibrium, and we predict the existence of clouds near flaring X-ray sources in which CO has been mostly destroyed but H is fully molecular.

scholarly journals Sources of X-rays from galaxies

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (S284) ◽  
pp. 183-192
Author(s):  
Q. Daniel Wang
Keyword(s):  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Galaxy Evolution ◽  
Supernova Remnants ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
High Energy ◽  
High Mass ◽  
X Rays ◽  
X Ray

AbstractGalactic X-ray emission is a manifestation of various high-energy phenomena and processes. The brightest X-ray sources are typically accretion-powered objects: active galactic nuclei and low- or high-mass X-ray binaries. Such objects with X-ray luminosities of ≳ 1037 ergs s−1 can now be detected individually in nearby galaxies. The contributions from fainter discrete sources (including cataclysmic variables, active binaries, young stellar objects, and supernova remnants) are well correlated with the star formation rate or stellar mass of galaxies. The study of discrete X-ray sources is essential to our understanding of stellar evolution, dynamics, and end-products as well as accretion physics. With the subtraction of the discrete source contributions, one can further map out truly diffuse X-ray emission, which can be used to trace the feedback from active galactic nuclei, as well as from stars, both young and old, in the form of stellar winds and supernovae. The X-ray emission efficiency, however, is only about 1% of the energy input rate of the stellar feedback alone. The bulk of the feedback energy is most likely gone with outflows into large-scale galactic halos. Much is yet to be investigated to comprehend the role of such outflows in regulating the ecosystem, hence the evolution of galaxies. Even the mechanism of the diffuse X-ray emission remains quite uncertain. A substantial fraction of the emission cannot arise directly from optically-thin thermal plasma, as commonly assumed, and most likely originates in its charge exchange with neutral gas. These uncertainties underscore our poor understanding of the feedback and its interplay with the galaxy evolution.

scholarly journals The dependence of mass and environment on the secular processes of AGNs in terms of morphology, colour, and specific star-formation rate

2018 ◽  
Vol 620 ◽  
pp. A113 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Argudo-Fernández ◽  
I. Lacerna ◽  
S. Duarte Puertas
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Star Formation Rate ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Stellar Mass ◽  
High Mass ◽  
Late Type ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Isolated Galaxies

Context. Galaxy mass and environment play a major role in the evolution of galaxies. In the transition from star-forming to quenched galaxies, active galactic nuclei (AGNs) also have a principal action therein. However, the connections between these three actors are still uncertain. Aims. In this work we investigate the effects of stellar mass and the large-scale structure (LSS) environment on the fraction of optical nuclear activity in a population of isolated galaxies, where AGN would not be triggered by recent galaxy interactions or mergers. Methods. As a continuation of a previous work, we focus on isolated galaxies to study the effect of stellar mass and the LSS in terms of morphology (early- and late-type), colour (red and blue), and specific star-formation rate (quenched and star-forming). To explore where AGN activity is affected by the LSS, we separate galaxies into two groups, of low- and high mass, respectively, and use the tidal strength parameter to quantify the effects. Results. We found that AGN is strongly affected by stellar mass in “active” galaxies (namely late-type, blue, and star-forming), but that mass has no influence on “quiescent” galaxies (namely early-type, red, and quenched), at least for masses down to 1010 M⊙. In relation to the LSS, we found an increase in the fraction of star-forming nuclei galaxies with denser LSS in low-mass star-forming and red isolated galaxies. Regarding AGN, we find a clear increase in the fraction of AGNs with denser environment in quenched and red isolated galaxies, independently of the stellar mass. Conclusions. Active galactic nuclei activity appears to be “mass triggered” in active isolated galaxies. This means that AGN activity is independent of the intrinsic properties of the galaxies, but is dependent on their stellar mass. On the other hand, AGN activity appears to be “environment triggered” in quiescent isolated galaxies, where the fraction of AGNs as a function of specific star formation rate and colour increases from void regions to denser LSS, independently of stellar mass.

scholarly journals A Catalog of 204 Offset and Dual Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs): Increased AGN Activation in Major Mergers and Separations under 4 kpc

2021 ◽  
Vol 923 (1) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Aaron Stemo ◽  
Julia M. Comerford ◽  
R. Scott Barrows ◽  
Daniel Stern ◽  
Roberto J. Assef ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Hubble Space Telescope ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Host Galaxy ◽  
Galaxy Mergers ◽  
Mass Ratio ◽  
Merging Galaxies ◽  
Pair Separation

Abstract During galaxy mergers, gas and dust are driven toward the centers of merging galaxies, triggering enhanced star formation and supermassive black hole (SMBH) growth. Theory predicts that this heightened activity peaks at SMBH separations <20 kpc; if sufficient material accretes onto one or both of the SMBHs for them to become observable as active galactic nuclei (AGNs) during this phase, they are known as offset and dual AGNs, respectively. To better study these systems, we have built the ACS-AGN Merger Catalog, a large catalog (N = 204) of uniformly selected offset and dual AGN observed by the Hubble Space Telescope at 0.2 < z < 2.5 with separations <20 kpc. Using this catalog, we answer many questions regarding SMBH−galaxy coevolution during mergers. First, we confirm predictions that the AGN fraction peaks at SMBH pair separations <10 kpc; specifically, we find that the fraction increases significantly at pair separations of <4 kpc. Second, we find that AGNs in mergers are preferentially found in major mergers and that the fraction of AGNs found in mergers follows a logarithmic relation, decreasing as merger mass ratio increases. Third, we do not find that mergers (nor the major or minor merger subpopulations) trigger the most luminous AGNs. Finally, we find that nuclear column density, AGN luminosity, and host galaxy star formation rate have no dependence on SMBH pair separation or merger mass ratio in these systems, nor do the distributions of these values differ significantly from that of the overall AGN population.

scholarly journals [C II] 158 μm LUMINOSITIES AND STAR FORMATION RATE IN DUSTY STARBURSTS AND ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI

2012 ◽  
Vol 755 (2) ◽  
pp. 171 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Sargsyan ◽  
V. Lebouteiller ◽  
D. Weedman ◽  
H. Spoon ◽  
J. Bernard-Salas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Star Formation Rate ◽  
Formation Rate ◽  
Galactic Nuclei

scholarly journals Close pairs of galaxies with different activity levels

2013 ◽  
Vol 9 (S304) ◽  
pp. 327-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. Nazaryan ◽  
A. R. Petrosian ◽  
A. A. Hakobyan ◽  
B. J. McLean ◽  
D. Kunth
Keyword(s):  
Star Formation ◽  
Active Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Spectral Properties ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Interaction Strength ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Morphological Type ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Interacting Systems

AbstractWe 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.

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