AGN Feedback Mechanisms in Galaxy Formation
Summary
Active galactic nuclei (AGN) represent the energetic centres of galaxies where accretion onto supermassive black holes releases vast amounts of energy. This energy couples to the surrounding interstellar and circumgalactic media through a range of feedback mechanisms that regulate star formation, drive galactic-scale outflows and shape the morphological and chemical evolution of galaxies. Feedback may take the form of radiatively driven winds, in which intense photon pressure and line driving expel gas, or mechanical jets that inflate cavities and shock the ambient medium. In addition to the well known “negative” feedback that suppresses star formation by heating or removing gas, there is growing evidence for “positive” feedback in which compressed gas in outflow-driven shells may trigger localised starbursts. The efficiency and dominant mode of feedback depend on black-hole accretion rate, host-galaxy gas fraction and environment, and evolve over cosmic time. Theoretical models and hydrodynamic simulations require AGN feedback to reproduce the observed luminosity function of massive galaxies, the tight scaling relations between black-hole mass and bulge properties, and the bimodality of galaxy colours. Observationally, high-velocity ionised and molecular outflows are detected across a wide redshift range, while extended radio structures trace jet–gas interactions that can drive turbulence or heat halo gas. The interplay of these processes governs gas cooling and infall, ultimately influencing galaxy quenching, chemical enrichment of the circumgalactic medium and the assembly of large-scale structure.
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AGN Feedback Mechanisms in Galaxy Formation publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in agn feedback mechanisms in galaxy formation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Active galactic nucleus (AGN): A compact region at the centre of a galaxy where a supermassive black hole accretes matter, emitting large quantities of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum.
Feedback mechanism: The process by which energy and momentum from AGN couple to surrounding gas, altering its thermodynamic state and dynamics, and thereby influencing galaxy evolution.
Radiative wind: A fast outflow driven by radiation pressure on gas and dust in the vicinity of the AGN accretion disc.
Jet-mode feedback: Mechanical energy injected into the interstellar and circumgalactic media by relativistic, collimated jets launched from the AGN.
Positive feedback: A feedback process in which AGN outflows compress gas sufficiently to enhance local star formation rather than suppress it.
Quenching: The suppression or cessation of star formation in a galaxy, often attributed to heating or removal of cold gas by feedback processes.
References
- Which Came First: Supermassive Black Holes or Galaxies? Insights from JWST. The Astrophysical Journal Letters (2024).
- First Results from the JWST Early Release Science Program Q3D: Powerful Quasar-driven Galactic Scale Outflow at z = 3. The Astrophysical Journal (2024).
- Local positive feedback in the overall negative: the impact of quasar winds on star formation in the FIRE cosmological simulations. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society (2023).
- The Role of Active Galactic Nucleus Winds in Galaxy Formation: Connecting AGN Outflows at Low Redshifts to the Formation/Evolution of Their Host Galaxies. The Astronomical Journal (2024).
- Observational Tests of Active Galactic Nuclei Feedback: An Overview of Approaches and Interpretation. Galaxies (2024).
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