Active Galactic Nuclei and their Role in Galaxy Evolution: The Infrared Perspective

TL;DR

Infrared astronomy has significantly advanced our understanding of active galactic nuclei (AGN) and their influence on galaxy evolution, offering unique insights that complement other wavelengths, with future IR telescopes poised to address key open questions.

Contribution

This review highlights recent progress in IR observations of AGN and discusses how upcoming IR telescopes can further elucidate their role in galaxy evolution.

Findings

IR observations provide unique insights into AGN physics.

IR surveys help identify AGN among galaxy populations.

Future IR telescopes will address key open questions in AGN research.

Abstract

The remarkable progress made in infrared (IR) astronomical instruments over the last 10-15 years has radically changed our vision of the extragalactic IR sky, and overall understanding of galaxy evolution. In particular, this has been the case for the study of active galactic nuclei (AGN), for which IR observations provide a wealth of complementary information that cannot be derived from data in other wavelength regimes. In this review, I summarize the unique contribution that IR astronomy has recently made to our understanding of AGN and their role in galaxy evolution, including both physical studies of AGN at IR wavelengths, and the search for AGN among IR galaxies in general. Finally, I identify and discuss key open issues that it should be possible to address with forthcoming IR telescopes.