Disk-outflow Connection and the Molecular Dusty Torus

TL;DR

This paper reviews the properties of the molecular dusty torus in AGN, its connection to outflows, and discusses how it may evolve with the AGN's luminosity, highlighting recent observational evidence.

Contribution

It synthesizes current understanding of the AGN torus, explores its relation to molecular environments and outflows, and offers speculations on its evolution with luminosity.

Findings

Infrared observations confirm torus emission in AGN.

Possible link between the torus and water masers.

The torus may evolve as AGN luminosity changes.

Abstract

Toroidal obscuration is a keystone of AGN unification. There is now direct evidence for the torus emission in infrared, and possibly water masers. Here I summarize the torus properties, its possible relation to the immediate molecular environment of the AGN and present some speculations on how it might evolve with the AGN luminosity.