The X-Ray Halo Scaling Relations of Supermassive Black Holes

We carry out a comprehensive Bayesian correlation analysis between hot halos and direct masses of supermassive black holes (SMBHs), by retrieving the X-ray plasma properties (temperature, luminosity, density, pressure, and masses) over galactic to cluster scales for 85 diverse systems. We find new key scalings, with the tightest relation being M-Tx, followed by M-Lx. The tighter scatter (down to 0.2 dex) and stronger correlation coefficient of all the X-ray halo scalings compared with the optical counterparts (as the M-se) suggest that plasma halos play a more central role than stars in tracing and growing SMBHs (especially those that are ultramassive). Moreover, M correlates better with the gas mass than dark matter mass. We show the important role of the environment, morphology, and relic galaxies/coronae, as well as the main departures from virialization/self-similarity via the optical/X-ray fundamental planes. We test the three major channels for SMBH growth: hot/Bondi-like models have inconsistent anticorrelation with X-ray halos and too low feeding; cosmological simulations find SMBH mergers as subdominant over most of cosmic time and too rare to induce a central-limit-theorem effect; the scalings are consistent with chaotic cold accretion, the rain of matter condensing out of the turbulent X-ray halos that sustains a long-term self-regulated feedback loop. The new correlations are major observational constraints for models of SMBH feeding/feedback in galaxies, groups, and clusters (e.g., to test cosmological hydrodynamical simulations), and enable the study of SMBHs not only through X-rays, but also via the Sunyaev-Zel dovich effect (Compton parameter), lensing (total masses), and cosmology (gas fractions)

Optical- and UV-continuum morphologies of compact radio source hosts

We present the first systematic search for UV signatures from radio source-driven active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback in Compact Steep Spectrum (CSS) radio galaxies. Owing to their characteristic sub-galactic jets (1–20 kpc projected linear sizes), CSS hosts are excellent laboratories for probing galaxy scale feedback via jet-triggered star formation. The sample consists of seven powerful CSS galaxies, and two galaxies host to radio sources >20 kpc as the control, at low to intermediate redshifts (z < 0.6). Our new Hubble Space Telescope images show extended UV continuum emission in six out of seven CSS galaxies, with five CSS hosts exhibiting UV knots cospatial and aligned along the radio-jet axis. Young (≲ 10 Myr), massive (≳ 5 M⊙) stellar populations are likely to be the dominant source of the blue excess emission in radio galaxies at these redshifts. Hence, the radio-aligned UV regions could be attributed to jet-induced starbursts. Lower near-UV star formation rates compared to other indicators suggest low scattered AGN light contribution to the observed UV. Dust attenuation of UV emission appears unlikely from high internal extinction correction estimates in most sources. Comparison with evolutionary synthesis models shows that our observations are consistent with recent (∼1−8 Myr old) star-forming activity likely triggered by current or an earlier episode of radio emission, or by a confined radio source that has frustrated growth, due to a dense environment. While follow-up spectroscopic and polarized light observations are needed to constrain the activity-related components in the observed UV, the detection of jet-induced star formation is a confirmation of an important prediction of the jet feedback paradigm

A molecular absorption line survey toward the AGN of Hydra-A

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array observations of the brightest cluster galaxy Hydra-A, a nearby (z = 0.054) giant elliptical galaxy with powerful and extended radio jets. The observations reveal CO(1-0), CO(2-1), 13CO(2-1), CN(2-1), SiO(5-4), HCO+(1-0), HCO+(2-1), HCN(1-0), HCN(2-1), HNC(1-0) and H2CO(3-2) absorption lines against the galaxy’s bright and compact active galactic nucleus. These absorption features are due to at least 12 individual molecular clouds which lie close to the centre of the galaxy and have velocities of approximately −50 to +10 km s−1 relative to its recession velocity, where positive values correspond to inward motion. The absorption profiles are evidence of a clumpy interstellar medium within brightest cluster galaxies composed of clouds with similar column densities, velocity dispersions and excitation temperatures to those found at radii of several kpc in the Milky Way. We also show potential variation in a ∼10 km s−1 wide section of the absorption profile over a two year timescale, most likely caused by relativistic motions in the hot spots of the continuum source which change the background illumination of the absorbing clouds

The Environment of z > 1 3CR Radio Galaxies and QSOs: From Proto-clusters to Clusters of Galaxies?

Galaxie

A Galaxy-scale Fountain of Cold Molecular Gas Pumped by a Black Hole

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array and Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer observations of the brightest cluster galaxy in Abell 2597, a nearby (z = 0.0821) cool core cluster of galaxies. The data map the kinematics of a three billion solar mass filamentary nebula that spans the innermost 30 kpc of the galaxy's core. Its warm ionized and cold molecular components are both cospatial and comoving, consistent with the hypothesis that the optical nebula traces the warm envelopes of many cold molecular clouds that drift in the velocity field of the hot X-ray atmosphere. The clouds are not in dynamical equilibrium, and instead show evidence for inflow toward the central supermassive black hole, outflow along the jets it launches, and uplift by the buoyant hot bubbles those jets inflate. The entire scenario is therefore consistent with a galaxy-spanning "fountain," wherein cold gas clouds drain into the black hole accretion reservoir, powering jets and bubbles that uplift a cooling plume of low-entropy multiphase gas, which may stimulate additional cooling and accretion as part of a self-regulating feedback loop. All velocities are below the escape speed from the galaxy, and so these clouds should rain back toward the galaxy center from which they came, keeping the fountain long lived. The data are consistent with major predictions of chaotic cold accretion, precipitation, and stimulated feedback models, and may trace processes fundamental to galaxy evolution at effectively all mass scales

Direct detection of black hole-driven turbulence in the centers of galaxy clusters

Galaxie

Origin of the ring structures in Hercules A.: Sub-arcsecond 144 MHz to 7 GHz observations

Large scale structure and cosmologyGalaxie

Raining in MKW 3 s: a Chandra-MUSE analysis of X-Ray cold filaments around 3CR 318.1

High Energy Astrophysic

A galaxy-scale fountain of cold molecular gas pumped by a black hole

We present ALMA and MUSE observations of the Brightest Cluster Galaxy in Abell 2597, a nearby (z = 0:0821) cool core cluster of galaxies. The data map the kinematics of a three billion solar mass filamentary nebula that spans the innermost 30 kpc of the galaxy’s core. Its warm ionized and cold molecular components are both cospatial and comoving, consistent with the hypothesis that the optical nebula traces the warm envelopes of many cold molecular clouds that drift in the velocity field of the hot X-ray atmosphere. The clouds are not in dynamical equilibrium, and instead show evidence for inflow toward the central supermassive black hole, outflow along the jets it launches, and uplift by the buoyant hot bubbles those jets inflate. The entire scenario is therefore consistent with a galaxy-spanning “fountain”, wherein cold gas clouds drain into the black hole accretion reservoir, powering jets and bubbles that uplift a cooling plume of low-entropy multiphase gas, which may stimulate additional cooling and accretion as part of a self-regulating feedback loop. All velocities are below the escape speed from the galaxy, and so these clouds should rain back toward the galaxy center from which they came, keeping the fountain long-lived. The data are consistent with major predictions of chaotic cold accretion, precipitation, and stimulated feedback models, and may trace processes fundamental to galaxy evolution at effectively all mass scale