X-QUEST: A Comprehensive X-ray Study of Local ULIRGs and QSOs

TL;DR

This study analyzes X-ray data from 66 local ULIRGs and QSOs to understand their nuclear activity and evolution during galaxy mergers, revealing a progression from starburst dominance to black hole growth.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive X-ray analysis of local ULIRGs and QSOs, linking their properties to merger stages and nuclear activity evolution.

Findings

Nuclear activity likelihood increases along the merger sequence.

Starburst dominates in early ULIRGs, followed by black hole growth.

Results align with mid-infrared observations and simulations.

Abstract

We present results from the X-ray portion of a multi-wavelength study of local ULIRGs and QSOs called QUEST (Quasar-ULIRG Evolution STudy). The data consist of new and archival X-ray data on 40 ULIRGs and 26 PG QSOs taken with Chandra and XMM-Newton. A combination of traditional and hardness ratio spectral fitting methods is used to characterize the X-ray properties of these objects. The absorption-corrected 2-10 keV to bolometric luminosity ratios of the ULIRGs and PG QSOs suggest that the likelihood for dominant nuclear activity increases along the merger sequence from "cool" ULIRGs, "warm" ULIRGs, infrared-bright QSOs, and infrared-faint QSOs. The starburst dominates the total power in ULIRGs prior to the merger, and this is followed by rapid black hole growth during and after coalescence. These results are in general agreement with those obtained in the mid-infrared with Spitzer and recent numerical simulations.