Euclid: Quick Data Release (Q1)- The connection between galaxy close encounters and radio activity

TL;DR

This study uses Euclid and LOFAR data to explore how galaxy mergers influence radio activity, revealing that AGN are often found in merging galaxies, especially at lower redshifts and higher radio luminosities, while star-forming galaxies prefer isolated environments.

Contribution

First large-scale analysis linking galaxy mergers with radio emission and morphology using Euclid and LOFAR data up to redshift 2.

Findings

Radio AGN are more common in merging galaxies, especially at z<1.

Star-forming galaxies are mostly in isolated systems regardless of redshift.

Extended radio emission in AGN correlates with recent galaxy mergers.

Abstract

Using the large statistics provided by both Euclid and the LOFAR surveys, we present the first large-scale study of the connection between radio emission, its morphology, and the merging properties of the hosts of radio sources up to z=2. By dividing the radio sample into active galactic nuclei (AGN) and star-forming galaxies, we find that radio-emitting AGN show a clear preference to reside within galaxies undergoing a merging event. This is more significant for AGN that present extended and/or complex radio emission: indeed, about half of them are associated with merging systems, while only 15% are hosted by an isolated galaxy. The observed trend is primarily driven by AGN residing at z < 1, especially in the case of high - P144MHz > 10^24 W Hz-1 sr-1 - radio luminosities (60% in mergers versus 10% isolated regardless of radio appearance). The situation is reversed in the case of radio-emitting star-forming galaxies, which are preferentially associated with isolated systems. This is more significant as we move towards low radio-luminosity/star-formation objects (P144MHz < 10^23 W Hz-1 sr-1) for which we find 40% in isolated systems versus 20% in mergers. These values hold regardless of redshift. We interpret the above result for AGN with their need to accrete outer gas from local encounters in order to trigger (radio) activity, especially in the case of extended radio emission such as hot-spots and lobes. This is mostly observed at z < 1, since in the local Universe galaxies are more gas deprived than their higher-redshift counterparts. Internal gas reservoirs instead seem sufficient to trigger star formation within the majority of galaxies, which indeed prefer to be associated with isolated systems at all redshifts probed. (abridged)