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The evolution of SMBH spin and AGN luminosities for z < 6 within a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation

Griffin, Andrew J; Lacey, Cedric G; Gonzalez-Perez, Violeta; del P Lagos, Claudia; Baugh, Carlton M; Fanidakis, Nikos

The evolution of SMBH spin and AGN luminosities for z < 6 within a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation Thumbnail


Authors

Andrew J Griffin

Violeta Gonzalez-Perez

Claudia del P Lagos

Nikos Fanidakis



Abstract

Understanding how Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) evolve through cosmic time allows us to probe the physical processes that control their evolution. We use an updated model for the evolution of masses and spins of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), coupled to the latest version of the semi-analytical model of galaxy formation GALFORM using the Planck cosmology and a high resolution Millennium style dark matter simulation to make predictions for AGN and SMBH properties for 0 < z < 6. We compare the model to the observed black hole mass function and the SMBH versus galaxy bulge mass relation at z = 0, and compare the predicted bolometric, hard X-ray, soft X-ray and optical AGN luminosity functions to observations at z < 6, and find that the model is in good agreement with the observations. The model predicts that at z < 2 and Lbol < 1043ergs−1, the AGN luminosity function is dominated by objects accreting in an Advection Dominated Accretion Flow (ADAF) disc state, while at higher redshifts and higher luminosities the dominant contribution is from objects accreting via a thin disc or at super-Eddington rates. The model also predicts that the AGN luminosity function at z < 3 and Lbol < 1044ergs−1 is dominated by the contribution from AGN fuelled by quiescent hot halo accretion, while at higher luminosities and higher redshifts, the AGN luminosity function is dominated by the contribution from AGN fuelled by starbursts triggered by disc instabilities. We employ this model to predict the evolution of SMBH masses, Eddington ratios, and spins, finding that the median SMBH spin evolves very little for 0 < z < 6.

Citation

Griffin, A. J., Lacey, C. G., Gonzalez-Perez, V., del P Lagos, C., Baugh, C. M., & Fanidakis, N. (2019). The evolution of SMBH spin and AGN luminosities for z < 6 within a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 487(1), 198-227. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1216

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Apr 30, 2019
Online Publication Date May 4, 2019
Publication Date Jul 31, 2019
Deposit Date May 7, 2019
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Print ISSN 0035-8711
Electronic ISSN 1365-2966
Publisher Royal Astronomical Society
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 487
Issue 1
Pages 198-227
DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stz1216

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Copyright Statement
© 2019 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society.






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