Lunch talk on Jun. 16, 2025

A Chandra X-ray and Multiwavelength Survey of Dual AGNs

Speaker: Meicun Hou (NJU)

Venue: Video Conference

Time: 12:45 PM, Monday, Jun. 16, 2025

Abstract: 

Dual active galactic nucleus (AGN) in closely interacting galaxy pairs is an ideal laboratory to study the effects of merger-induced AGN in galaxy formation and evolution and to understand the co-evolution between supermassive black holes and their host galaxies. I will introduce the largest Chandra X-ray survey of nuclear X-ray emission in dual AGN candidates selected from optical survey, combining with NOEMA millimeter observations. We find an unexpectedly low AGN occupation and little evidence for merger-induced AGN activity in terms of the low X-ray luminosity and Eddington ratio observed in most nuclei of our close interacting galaxies sample. Our CO measurement reveal a moderate column density, which argues against the prevalence of heavily obscured, intrinsically luminous AGNs in nearby late-stage mergers.