The Role of Active Galactic Nuclei in Galaxy Evolution Across Cosmic Time

In recent decades, it has become evident that almost all galaxies in the nearby universe host a central Super-Massive Black Hole (SMBH). These SMBHs grow by accreting ("eating", known as an AGN) matter and this processes can release enough energy (via radio jets or winds) to blow apart all of the gas and stars from within the centre of the galaxy, therefore affecting how galaxies grow and evolve. While this picture of SMBH-galaxy interaction is well studied in the nearby universe, the relationship and the role of the SMBH at earlier cosmic times, when the universe was much younger, is uncertain. This project aims to use ultra-deep radio observations (from the LOFAR telescope) to identify such AGN, in combination with deep multi-wavelength data from optical to infrared wavelengths to study how AGN and their host galaxies evolve in time between now and more than 10 billion years ago. The project also aims to study how different properties such as galaxy environment affect this relationship.