The suppression of star formation by powerful active galactic nuclei.

Average star formation rates, (SFR), derived from averaged far-infrared luminosities of 1<z<3 AGNs, as a function of suLX.
Average star formation rates, (SFR), derived from averaged far-infrared luminosities of 1<z<3 AGNs, as a function of suLX.
Advertised on
References
2012, Natur.,485,213

The old, red stars that constitute the bulges of galaxies, and the massive black holes at their centres, are the relics of a period in cosmic history when galaxies formed stars at remarkable rates and active galactic nuclei (AGN) shone brightly as a result of accretion onto black holes. It is widely suspected, but unproved, that the tight correlation between the mass of the black hole and the mass of the stellar bulge results from the AGN quenching the surrounding star formation as it approaches its peak luminosity. X-rays trace emission from AGN unambiguously, whereas powerful star-forming galaxies are usually dust-obscured and are brightest at infrared and submillimetre wavelengths. Here we report submillimetre and X-ray observations that show that rapid star formation was common in the host galaxies of AGN when the Universe was 2-6 billion years old, but that the most vigorous star formation is not observed around black holes above an X-ray luminosity of 1044 ergs per second. This suppression of star formation in the host galaxy of a powerful AGN is a key prediction of models in which the AGN drives an outflow, expelling the interstellar medium of its host and transforming the galaxy's properties in a brief period of cosmic time.

News type
Research news

It may interest you

  • figura_afm_press
    Research news
    Signs of 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' star formation in low-surface-brightness globular-cluster-rich dwarf galaxies
    Ultra-diffuse galaxies, an extreme type of dwarf galaxy, have been the focus of extensive observational and theoretical studies over the past decade. With stellar masses comparable to dwarf galaxies (between 10 7 and 10 9 solar masses) but much larger in size (as defined by their effective radius), they exhibit an extremely low surface brightness. These galaxies display highly diverse properties: some have large dark matter halos, others lack them, and their number of globular clusters varies widely. Studies of their kinematics and stellar populations have shown that these extreme galaxies
    Advertised on
  • Action space (normalized to the sum of the three actions of motion, Jtot) of Gaia RVS stars
    Research news
    The Metal-Poor Edge of the Milky Way’s Thin Disk
    The formation and evolution of the disk of our Galaxy, the Milky Way, remains an enigma in astronomy. In particular, the relationship between the thick disk and the thin disk —two key components of the Milky Way— is still unclear. Understanding the chemical and dynamical properties of the stars within these disks is crucial, especially in the parameter spaces where their characteristics overlap, such the metallicity regime around [Fe/H] ~ -0.7, which marks the metal-poor end of the thin disk, higher than that of the thick disk. This is often interpreted as an indication that the thin disk
    Advertised on
  • Black Hole Swift J1727.8-162
    Research news
    Evidence for inflows and outflows in the nearby black hole transient Swift J1727.8-162
    The transient Swift J1727.8-162 is the latest member of the X-ray binary black hole family to be discovered. They are formed by a black hole and a low-mass star whose gas is stripped off and accreted to the black hole via an accretion disc. The high temperature of the accretion disc makes it shine in all energy bands up to X-rays, and is particularly bright during epochs known as outbursts. In this novel study, published just a few months after the discovery of the system, we present 20 epochs of optical spectroscopy obtained with the GTC-10.4m telescope. The spectra cover the main accretion
    Advertised on