Interacting galaxies in the IllustrisTNG simulations − IV: enhanced supermassive black hole accretion rates in post-merger galaxies

Author:

Byrne-Mamahit Shoshannah1ORCID,Hani Maan H2ORCID,Ellison Sara L1ORCID,Quai Salvatore34ORCID,Patton David R5ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Victoria , 3800 Finnerty Road, Victoria, British Columbia V8P 5C2, Canada

2. Department of Physics & Astronomy, McMaster University , 1280 Main Street W, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada

3. Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia ‘Augusto Righi,’ Università degli Studi di Bologna , Via Gobetti 93/2, Bologna I-40129, Italy

4. INAF – Osservatorio di Astrofisica e Scienze dello Spazio di Bologna , Via Gobetti 93/3, Bologna I-40129, Italy

5. Department of Physics & Astronomy, Trent University , 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, Ontario K9L 0G2, Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACT We present an analysis of the instantaneous supermassive black hole (SMBH) accretion rates in a collection of 1563 post-merger galaxies drawn from the IllustrisTNG simulation. Our sample consists of galaxies that have experienced a merger in the last simulation snapshot (within ∼ 160 Myrs of coalescence) in the redshift range 0 < z < 1, with merger stellar mass ratios >1: 10 and post-merger stellar masses >1010M⊙. We find that, on average, the accretion rates of the post-mergers are ∼1.7 times higher than in a control sample and that post-mergers are three to four times more likely to experience a luminous active galactic nuclei (AGN) phase than isolated galaxies. SMBH accretion rate enhancements persist for ∼2 Gyrs after coalescence, significantly exceeding the ∼500 Myr lifetime of star formation rate enhancements. We find that the presence of simultaneous enhancements in both the star formation and SMBH accretion rates depends on both the mass ratio of the merger and on the gas mass of the post-merger galaxy. Despite these accretion rate enhancements, only ∼35 per cent of post-mergers experience a luminous AGN (Lbol > 1044erg/s) within 500 Myrs after coalescence, and fewer than 10 per cent achieve a luminosity in excess of Lbol > 1045erg/s. Moreover, only ∼10 per cent of the highest luminosity (Lbol > 1045erg/s) AGN in the IllustrisTNG galaxy sample are recent mergers. Our results are therefore consistent with a picture in which mergers can (but do not always) trigger AGN activity, but where the majority of galaxies hosting high luminosity AGN are not recent mergers.

Funder

NSERC

Publisher

Oxford University Press (OUP)

Subject

Space and Planetary Science,Astronomy and Astrophysics

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