Supermassive black holes and the growth of galaxies
Lead Research Organisation:
Durham University
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
Astronomers have recently discovered that the center of essentially every massive galaxy contains a supermassive black hole (SMBH), and that the properties of SMBHs are tightly correlated with those of their host galaxies. These correlations suggest that the cosmic evolution of SMBHs and their hosts are fundamentally linked, but the details of this connection are still unclear. As an STFC Fellow, I propose to work for three years at Durham University, using data from cutting-edge observatories (such as the Hubble Space Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Spitzer Space Telescope, Herschel, and SCUBA2) to address key questions about the evolution of SMBHs and galaxies. This work seeks to understand the interplay between galaxies, black holes, and dark matter by observing galaxy and black hole growth at crucial epochs in the early Universe. The first project explores how SMBH accretion and star formation are fueled. This work will be driven by data from Herschel and SCUBA2, powerful new infrared and submillimeter observatories that will allow us to observe fainter and more deeply obscured galaxies than ever before. A prevailing theory is that galaxy and black hole growth is fueled by the major mergers of gas-rich galaxies, which induce vigorous star formation and drive gas down onto the black hole, producing an active galactic nucleus (AGN) that is highly obscured by gas and dust. There have recently been discovered distant galaxies at redshift 2 that have high rates of star formation and obscured AGN, but there is not yet direct evidence that they are powered by mergers. Herschel and SCUBA2 data will allow us to perform the first direct tests of the merger-fueling hypothesis, by measuring the spatial correlations between large samples of highly obscured AGN and surrounding galaxies. Preliminary results from my current research suggest that moderately obscured AGN are indeed associated with mergers, since they have an excess of nearby galaxies on small scales. My proposed work will perform the same test for deeply buried AGN that are expected to be the immediate products of mergers. The second project will address the role of large-scale structures on SMBH and galaxy evolution. Recent theory and observations suggest that there is a characteristic dark matter halo mass for which mergers are most common and AGN feedback actively quenches the formation of stars. Some studies at low redshifts, including my own recent research, are consistent with this picture, but it has not been tested in massive structures at high redshifts where AGN activity is at its peak. Making use of the Durham group's recent ultradeep X-ray observations of a protocluster at redshift 3, I will measure the local galaxy density around X-ray detected AGN to test if accretion is enhanced in environments where mergers are most common. I also plan to analyze near-infrared spectra of the AGN in the protocluster, to constrain the nature and abundance of energetic outflows that could halt star formation and heat intergalactic gas. Both these projects, by making use of cutting-edge observational and theoretical tools, will help us understand how our Milky Way galaxy, and other galaxies we observe in the local Universe, came to exist. In addition to research, I also plan to work to help enhance the public's understanding of the cosmic history of the Universe. In the past I have enjoyed giving public lectures to astronomy groups and schools in the U.S., and would look forward to presenting the latest results to the British public as well. I have corresponded with a number of amateur astronomy societies in northern England, and expect to be able to schedule talks every 1--2 months during the term of the Fellowship, in order to directly promote public enthusiasm for this exciting research and for science in general.
People |
ORCID iD |
Ryan Hickox (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Alexander D
(2011)
X-RAY SPECTRAL CONSTRAINTS FOR z ˜ 2 MASSIVE GALAXIES: THE IDENTIFICATION OF REFLECTION-DOMINATED ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI
in The Astrophysical Journal
Alexander D
(2012)
What drives the growth of black holes?
in New Astronomy Reviews
Fanidakis N
(2012)
The evolution of active galactic nuclei across cosmic time: what is downsizing? The evolution of AGNs across cosmic time
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Goulding A
(2011)
Searching for Compton-thick active galactic nuclei at z~ 0.1 Searching for Compton-thick AGNs at z~ 0.1
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Hickox R
(2011)
CLUSTERING OF OBSCURED AND UNOBSCURED QUASARS IN THE BOÖTES FIELD: PLACING RAPIDLY GROWING BLACK HOLES IN THE COSMIC WEB
in The Astrophysical Journal
Hickox R
(2012)
The LABOCA survey of the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South: clustering of submillimetre galaxies Clustering of SMGs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mullaney J
(2011)
Defining the intrinsic AGN infrared spectral energy distribution and measuring its contribution to the infrared output of composite galaxies? The infrared SEDs of AGNs
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Mullaney J
(2012)
GOODS-Herschel: the far-infrared view of star formation in active galactic nucleus host galaxies since z ˜ 3 GOODS-H: star formation in AGN host galaxies
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Stott J
(2012)
The XMM Cluster Survey: the interplay between the brightest cluster galaxy and the intracluster medium via AGN feedback BCG AGN feedback and the ICM
in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Description | Research carried out in this program explored the nature of growing supermassive black holes (quasars) in the Universe and how they are connected to their host galaxies and large-scale structures. We learned a great deal about the mysterious "hidden" supermassive black holes that are buried behind clouds of gas and dust, and discovered hints that these quasars may be found in more massive large-scale structures than objects without this obscuration, a funding that has since been verified with more data. We further performed the first measurement of the large-scale structures that host powerful, dust-obscured star-forming galaxies in the early Universe, and found that they are in the same types of systems as the powerful obscured quasars, suggesting that the rapid growth of galaxies and their central black holes may occur in the same systems. |
Exploitation Route | Our findings have provided both interest inputs to theoretical models of galaxy and black hole formation, and have motivated researchers to perform more accurate measurements with better data, which have generally confirmed out results with higher significance. |
Sectors | Creative Economy Education |
Description | The work described this research has been highlighted in articles in the popular press, including an article on the front page of the BBC website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-16702962 and a cover article on "Supergalaxies" in the UK print magazine All About Space. |
First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
Sector | Education |
Impact Types | Societal |
Description | Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship |
Amount | $50,000 (USD) |
Organisation | Alfred P. Sloan Foundation |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United States |
Start | 08/2014 |
End | 08/2016 |
Description | NASA Astrophysics Data Analysis Program |
Amount | $158,000 (USD) |
Funding ID | NNX12AE38G |
Organisation | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 05/2012 |
End | 06/2015 |
Description | NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Grants |
Amount | $166,317 (USD) |
Funding ID | 1515364 |
Organisation | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 07/2015 |
End | 07/2017 |
Description | NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Grants |
Amount | $248,000 (USD) |
Funding ID | 1211096 |
Organisation | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 08/2012 |
End | 09/2015 |
Description | NSF Early Career (CAREER) Award |
Amount | $672,478 (USD) |
Funding ID | 1554484 |
Organisation | National Science Foundation (NSF) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 07/2016 |
End | 07/2021 |
Description | Collaboration between Durham University and Dartmouth College |
Organisation | Dartmouth College |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | My STFC fellowship produced strong collaborations with the Extragalactic Astronomy group at Durham University, which have continued since I terminated the fellowship to move to Dartmouth College in the United States as an Assistant Professor in December 2011. Both institutions are members of the Matariki Network of Universities. Our two groups have each provided data access and expertise to various problems related to the growth of galaxies and supermassive black holes. One major aspect of our collaboration is joint effort on the Extragalactic Survey program with the NuSTAR X-ray observatory. |
Collaborator Contribution | My STFC fellowship produced strong collaborations with the Extragalactic Astronomy group at Durham University, which have continued since I terminated the fellowship to move to Dartmouth College in the United States as an Assistant Professor in December 2011. Both institutions are members of the Matariki Network of Universities. Our two groups have each provided data access and expertise to various problems related to the growth of galaxies and supermassive black holes. One major aspect of our collaboration is joint effort on the Extragalactic Survey program with the NuSTAR X-ray observatory. |
Impact | This collaboration has produced a number of refereed papers, and have also resulted in the organization of two major conferences under the auspices of the Matariki Network of Universities: Black Hole Feedback 2012, Dartmouth College, summer 2012 (http://www.dartmouth.edu/~bhfeedback2012/) and AGN vs. Star Formation: The Fate of the Gas in Galaxies, Durham University, summer 2014 (http://www.astro.dur.ac.uk/AGNvsSF/) The collaboration is not multi-disciplinary. |
Start Year | 2011 |
Description | Presentation to secondary heads of science meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | 5 March 2010, The STFC Fellow gave a presentation on black holes and galaxies to the a meeting of the 59 club (secondary Heads of Science), Oundle School, Northamptonshire, audience ~20 Heads of Science expressed great interest in the topic |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
Description | Presentations at schools |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | The STFC Fellow gave the following presentations on "Supermassive Black Holes and the Growth of Galaxies" to science groups at schools: 9 March 2010, Durham School, audience ~ 30 2 November 2010, Oundle Science Society, Oundle School, Northamptonshire ~25 Presentations sparked discussion afterward Students show great interest in the topic and several mentioned interest in studying astronomy at university |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010 |
Description | Public talks at astronomical societies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | The STFC Fellow gave the following public talks: 17 November 2009, Bolton Astronomical Society, audience ~25 19 November 2009, Public talk for IoP/Newcastle Astronomical Society at Northumbria University, audience ~60 5 Feb 2010, York Astronomical Society, audience ~50 10 Feb 2010, Leeds Astronomical Society, audience ~ 15 15 March 2010, Bradford Astronomical Society, audience ~ 50 29 June 2010, Cockermouth Astronomical Society, audience ~10 1 October 2010, Furness & South Lakeland Astronomical Society ~ 10 17 October 2010, Sunderland Astronomical Society ~20 23 October 2010, meeting for amateur journal The Astronomer, Wakefield ~45 29 October 2010, Harrogate Astronomical Society ~10 1 November 2010, Doncaster Astronomical Society, ~20 16 November 2010, West Yorkshire Astronomical Society, ~25 26 January 2011, Public talk at British Astronomical Association, London, ~60 10 February 2011, Public talk at South Shields Astronomical Society, ~20 5 March 2011, Public talk at Kielder Star Camp, Kielder Castle, Northumberland, ~50 Each talk sparked questions and discussion afterward. Societies generally reported great interest from members in the topic, and several talks resulted in invitations from other societies |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2009,2010,2011 |