Conditions for star formation in nearby AGN and QSO hosts observed with near-infrared integral-field spectroscopy

TL;DR

This paper discusses how near-infrared integral-field spectroscopy, combined with sub-millimeter data, enables detailed analysis of gas, stars, and star formation conditions in the centers of nearby active galaxies.

Contribution

It demonstrates the use of combined NIR and sub-mm observations to study star formation conditions in AGN and QSO host galaxies with high spatial resolution.

Findings

NIR spectroscopy provides an unobscured view of galaxy centers.

Combined NIR and sub-mm data trace warm and cold gas reservoirs.

Studies focus on nearby Seyferts and low-luminosity QSOs.

Abstract

Integral-field spectroscopy in the near-infrared (NIR) is a powerful tool to analyze the gaseous and stellar distributions and kinematics, as well as the excitation mechanisms in the centers of galaxies. The unique combination of NIR and sub-mm data at comparable high angular resolution, which has just been possible with SINFONI and ALMA, allows to trace warm and cold gas reservoirs. Only the NIR gives an unobscured view to the center and allows to study the conditions and impact of star formation in the centers of galaxies in a spatially resolved way. Here, we present recent studies of nearby Seyferts and low-luminosity QSOs performed by our group.