Physical Processes Behind the Co-Evolution of Halos, Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes in the IllustrisTNG Simulation

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Main Authors: Li, Hao, Chen, Yangyao, Wang, Huiyuan, Mo, Houjun
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Li, Hao
Chen, Yangyao
Wang, Huiyuan
Mo, Houjun
author_facet Li, Hao
Chen, Yangyao
Wang, Huiyuan
Mo, Houjun
contents We explore the co-evolution of dark matter halos, their central galaxies, and central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) using the IllustrisTNG (TNG) simulation. We find that the evolutionary histories of individual galaxies in the $M_{\rm BH}$-$M_*$ plane can be decomposed into four distinct phases, separated by three transition points. We identify the driving processes of galaxy evolution within each phase and derive the conditions necessary and sufficient for transitions to subsequent phases. The first phase is dominated by star formation, with its duration primarily determined by the mass of the SMBH seed and the surrounding gas environment. The second phase is characterized by rapid SMBH growth, and the transition to the next phase occurs when the thermal-mode feedback of active galactic nucleus (AGN) can unbind gas from the galaxy. The third phase involves self-regulation of the SMBH, and the transition to the quenched phase occurs when the kinetic-mode feedback of AGN counterbalances gas cooling within the subhalo. The final phase is dominated by mergers. We investigate the use of scaling relations among different mass components and evolutionary phases to understand processes implemented in TNG and other simulations, and discuss how current and forthcoming observations can be used to constrain models.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_06208
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Physical Processes Behind the Co-Evolution of Halos, Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes in the IllustrisTNG Simulation
Li, Hao
Chen, Yangyao
Wang, Huiyuan
Mo, Houjun
Astrophysics of Galaxies
We explore the co-evolution of dark matter halos, their central galaxies, and central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) using the IllustrisTNG (TNG) simulation. We find that the evolutionary histories of individual galaxies in the $M_{\rm BH}$-$M_*$ plane can be decomposed into four distinct phases, separated by three transition points. We identify the driving processes of galaxy evolution within each phase and derive the conditions necessary and sufficient for transitions to subsequent phases. The first phase is dominated by star formation, with its duration primarily determined by the mass of the SMBH seed and the surrounding gas environment. The second phase is characterized by rapid SMBH growth, and the transition to the next phase occurs when the thermal-mode feedback of active galactic nucleus (AGN) can unbind gas from the galaxy. The third phase involves self-regulation of the SMBH, and the transition to the quenched phase occurs when the kinetic-mode feedback of AGN counterbalances gas cooling within the subhalo. The final phase is dominated by mergers. We investigate the use of scaling relations among different mass components and evolutionary phases to understand processes implemented in TNG and other simulations, and discuss how current and forthcoming observations can be used to constrain models.
title Physical Processes Behind the Co-Evolution of Halos, Galaxies and Supermassive Black Holes in the IllustrisTNG Simulation
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.06208