Surveys for active galaxies: discovery and studies

Abstract

We present surveys and related studies of active galaxies carried out at the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO). This was one of the main research subjects at BAO during many years, since mid-1950s, when Viktor Ambartsumian suggested the hypothesis of the activity of the galactic nuclei. A number of surveys and searches for Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and other active galaxies were accomplished during 1960s-1980s. Since mid-1990s, our research group carried out new surveys and studies of active galaxies based on the First Byurakan Survey (FBS or Markarian Survey) and then a number of others. Here we also present the recent results of studies on active galaxies (both AGN and Starbursts) by the Extragalactic group of the Byurakan Astrophysical Observatory (BAO) Research Department “Astronomical Surveys”. These studies are characterized by multiwavelength approach to statistical analysis of large amount of data obtained in different wavelengths; from X-ray to radio. A fine classification scheme for active galaxies has also been suggested.