[Speaker]

Umi Kobayashi ,
SOKENDAI 1st year (M1)
(Supervisor: Masayuki Tanaka, Masatoshi Imanishi, Kouichiro Nakanishi)

[Title]

Influence of galaxy mergers on AGN activities in the local Universe

[Abstract]

Galaxy-galaxy mergers are thought to be one of the key processes for galaxy growth. Mergers may also transfer gas to the center and feed the super massive black holes(SMBHs), making natural co-evolution of the SMBHs and host galaxies. There is rich literature on the subject, but many of the papers are based on data from shallow imaging surveys such as SDSS or from small field coverages. The HSC survey delivers much deeper data over a wider area, allowing much better identifications of merger features. This provides us with an unique opportunity to revisit the subject. We focus on galaxies in the local Universe (z<~0.2) with spectra from SDSS and adopt visual/automated classifications of galaxies to evaluate an influence of mergers on triggering AGN activities. We also plan to characterize the environment of mergers and AGNs. A preliminary analysis suggests that mergers indeed enhance AGN activities and mergers and AGNs are not necessarily in high density environments.