Black hole-galaxy co-evolution and the role of feedback

TL;DR

This paper reviews the co-evolution of supermassive black holes and galaxies driven by AGN feedback, discussing fueling mechanisms, feedback processes, observational surveys, and future prospects with advanced facilities like Athena.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of AGN fueling, feedback mechanisms, and the statistical properties of AGN populations, highlighting recent observational and theoretical advances.

Findings

AGN feedback influences galaxy evolution across multiple scales

Instabilities play a key role in fueling AGN in different galaxy environments

Future facilities like Athena will enhance understanding of AGN-galaxy co-evolution

Abstract

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) are accreting supermassive black holes co-evolving with their host galaxies through a complex interplay of feeding and feedback. In this chapter, we first discuss AGN fuelling in galaxies, both in interacting and isolated systems, focusing on the role that instabilities have on the angular momentum budget of the gas. We then review observations and models of feedback through AGN-driven winds from nuclear, sub-pc scales out to galactic and circumgalactic medium scales. We continue with an overview of surveys and statistical properties of the AGN population, before concluding with a discussion on the prospects for the future facilities, focusing in particular on Athena.