Kavli Affiliate: Claudio Ricci
| First 5 Authors: Marco Troncoso, Marco Troncoso, , ,
| Summary:
Galaxy mergers are believed to play an important role in triggering rapid
supermassive black hole (SMBH) growth. As merging nuclei approach each other,
the physical properties of the participating galaxies and the associated SMBH
growth are expected to evolve significantly. This study measures and
characterizes these physical properties throughout the merger sequence. We
constructed multiwavelength Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs) from hard
X-rays to the far-infrared (FIR) for a sample of 72 nearby Active Galactic
Nuclei (AGN) host galaxies. The sample comprises 64 interacting systems,
including single AGNs in mergers and dual AGNs, with nuclear separations
$leq$30 kpc, as well as eight isolated active galaxies with merging features.
We carefully adapted available photometric measurements at each wavelength to
account for their complex morphologies and varying spatial resolutions, to
perform SED fitting using CIGALE, aimed to derive critical physical properties.
Our results reveal that merging galaxies hosting AGN(s) show deviations from
the star-forming main sequence, and a wide range of star formation rates
(SFRs). Both AGN activity and star formation are significantly influenced by
the merger process, but these effects are more prominent in major, mass ratios
$<$4:1, interactions. We find that the projected nuclear separation is not a
good tracer of the merger stage. Instead, morphological classification
accurately assesses the merger progression. Based on this morphological
analysis, late-stage mergers exhibit elevated SFRs (5.1$times$), AGN
luminosities (2.4$times$), and nuclear obscuration (2.8$times$) compared to
earlier stages, supporting previous findings and reinforcing the link between
merger-driven galaxy evolution and SMBH growth.
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