Galaxy-Scale Outflows Driven by Active Galactic Nuclei

TL;DR

This paper uses hydrodynamical simulations to explore how active galactic nuclei winds influence galaxy-scale outflows, star formation, and black hole growth, highlighting the importance of wind momentum flux in galaxy evolution.

Contribution

It demonstrates that high-velocity AGN winds with large momentum fluxes can drive significant outflows, suppress star formation, and regulate black hole growth, providing a physical basis for observed galaxy phenomena.

Findings

AGN winds with tau_w > 3 suppress star formation

Outflows reach velocities ~1000 km/s and eject ~3 x 10^9 solar masses of gas

High tau_w winds are consistent with observed outflows in ULIRGs

Abstract

We present hydrodynamical simulations of major mergers of galaxies and study the effects of winds produced by active galactic nuclei (AGN) on interstellar gas in the AGN's host galaxy. We consider winds with initial velocities ~ 10,000 km/s and an initial momentum (energy) flux of ~ tau_w L/c (~ 0.01 tau_w L), with tau_w ~ 1-10. The AGN wind sweeps up and shock heats the surrounding interstellar gas, leading to a galaxy-scale outflow with velocities ~ 1000 km/s, peak mass outflow rates comparable to the star formation rate, and a total ejected gas mass ~ 3 x 10^9 M_sun. Large momentum fluxes, tau_w > 3, are required for the AGN-driven galactic outflow to suppress star formation and accretion in the black hole's host galaxy. Less powerful AGN winds (tau_w < 3) still produce a modest galaxy-scale outflow, but the outflow has little global effect on the ambient interstellar gas. We argue that this mechanism of AGN feedback can plausibly produce the high velocity outflows observed in post-starburst galaxies and the massive molecular and atomic outflows observed in local ultra-luminous infrared galaxies. Moreover, the outflows from local ultra-luminous infrared galaxies are inferred to have tau_w ~ 10, comparable to what we find is required for AGN winds to regulate the growth of black holes and set the M_BH-sigma relation. We conclude by discussing theoretical mechanisms that can lead to AGN wind mass-loading and momentum/energy fluxes large enough to have a significant impact on galaxy formation.