The nature of low-luminosity AGNs discovered by JWST based on clustering analysis: progenitors of low-$z$ quasars?

TL;DR

This study uses clustering analysis of low-luminosity AGNs discovered by JWST at high redshift to infer their host dark matter halo masses, stellar masses, and evolutionary links to quasars at lower redshifts.

Contribution

It provides the first clustering-based characterization of JWST-discovered low-luminosity AGNs, revealing their distinct host halo properties and evolutionary connection to quasars.

Findings

Host dark matter halos are about 1 dex smaller than those of luminous quasars.

Predicted halo growth suggests they evolve into quasars by z<3.

Estimated duty cycle indicates a lifetime of approximately 4 million years.

Abstract

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has discovered many faint AGNs at high-$z$ by detecting their broad Balmer lines. However, their high number density, lack of X-ray emission, and overly high black hole masses with respect to their host stellar masses suggest that they are a distinct population from general type-1 quasars. Here, we present clustering analysis of 27 low-luminosity broad-line AGNs found by JWST (JWST AGNs) at $5<z<6$ based on cross-correlation analysis with 679 photometrically-selected galaxies to characterize their host dark matter halo (DMH) masses. From the angular and projected cross-correlation functions, we find that their typical DMH mass is $\log (M_\mathrm{halo}/h^{-1}\mathrm{M}_\odot) = 11.46_{-0.25}^{+0.19},$ and $11.53_{-0.20}^{+0.15}$, respectively. This result implies that the host DMHs of these AGNs are $\sim1$ dex smaller than those of luminous quasars. The DMHs of the JWST AGNs at $5<z<6$ are predicted to grow to $10^{12\unicode{x2013}13}\,h^{-1}\mathrm{M}_\odot$ at $z\lesssim3$, which is comparable to that of a more luminous quasar at the same epoch. Applying the empirical stellar-to-halo mass ratio to the measured DMH mass, we evaluate their host stellar mass as $\log(M_*/\mathrm{M}_\odot)=9.48_{-0.41}^{+0.31},$ and $9.60_{-0.33}^{+0.24}$, which are higher than some of those estimated by the SED fitting. We also evaluate their duty cycle as $f_\mathrm{duty}=0.37_{-0.15}^{+0.19}$ per cent, corresponding to $\sim4\times10^6$ yr as the lifetime of the JWST AGNs. While we cannot exclude the possibility that the JWST AGNs are simply low-mass type-1 quasars, these results suggest that the JWST AGNs are a different population from type-1 quasars and the progenitors of quasars at $z\lesssim3$.