Metallicity evolution of AGNs from UV emission-lines based on a new index

TL;DR

This study investigates the metallicity evolution of AGNs across a wide redshift range using a new UV emission-line index, confirming no evolution in NLR metallicity and aligning with galaxy formation models.

Contribution

Introduces the C43 index as a new metallicity indicator for AGNs and confirms its effectiveness across a broad redshift range.

Findings

No metallicity evolution of NLRs with redshift.

AGNs' metallicity evolution matches galaxy formation models for z<3.

Local AGNs have metallicities comparable to solar values.

Abstract

We analyzed the evolution of the metallicity of the gas with the redshift for a sample of AGNs in a very wide redshift range (0<z<4) using ultraviolet emission-lines from the narrow-line regions (NLRs) and photoionization models. The new index C43=log(CIV+CIII])/HeII is suggested as a metallicity indicator for AGNs. Based on this indicator, we confirmed the no metallicity evolution of NLRs with the redshift pointed out by previous works. We found that metallicity of AGNs shows similar evolution than the one predicted by cosmic semi-analytic models of galaxy formation set within the Cold Dark Matter merging hierarchy (for z < 3). Our results predict a mean metallicity for local objects in agreement with the solar value (12+log(O/H)=8.69). This value is about the same that the maximum oxygen abundance value derived for the central parts of local spiral galaxies. Very low metallicity log(Z/Z_{\odot})~ -0.8 for some objects in the range 1.5 < z <3 is derived.