The ubiquity of AGN winds in Seyfert 1 galaxies at low redshift

TL;DR

This study analyzes optical spectra of nearly 4,000 Seyfert 1 galaxies at low redshift, revealing that about 37% exhibit AGN winds with high velocities, and explores how these outflows relate to black hole properties and star formation.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of AGN winds in Seyfert 1 galaxies, linking outflow characteristics to black hole mass, accretion rates, and host galaxy properties, with a focus on low-redshift samples.

Findings

37% of Sy1 galaxies show outflows with V_max ~1014 km/s

Outflows are associated with higher black hole mass and accretion rates

No clear impact of outflows on star formation rates

Abstract

The optical spectra of 3,896 Seyfert~1 (Sy1) galaxies detected with WISE at z < 0.4 were analyzed for evidence of outflows. In 37% of the Sy1s the outflows appear as broad, blue-shifted, of the [OIII]5007, with a mean maximum velocity V_max ~1014 km/s$, consistent with AGN winds. For each Sy1 we deduced that black hole (BH) mass, bolometric luminosity, Eddington ratio and power-law index of the continuum, which we compared with the star formation rate (SFR) and host morphology. Having separated our sample in two spectroscopic subgroups, Sy1s with only broad Balmer lines (Sy1B) and with both narrow and broad (Sy1N) lines and distinguishing those that show as outflow (Sy1Bw and Sy1Nw), we report the following differences: 1) the BH mass is systematically higher and the power-law steeper in the Sy1B-Sy1Bw than in the Sy1N-Sy1Nw, 2) V_max is higher in the Sy1Bw than in the Sy1Nw, correlated in both groups with the BH mass and bolometric luminosity, 3) the Eddington ratio and SFR are higher in the Sy1 with outflows, and 4) the specific star formation rates (sSFRs) of the Sy1s are normal for their morphology and mass; typical of early-type spiral galaxies in the green valley, far from the quenched regime. From these results we conclude that in Sy1s AGN winds are triggered by higher accretion rates and probably radiatively launched, and there is no clear evidence of an effect on the star formation.