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Probing the Role of Active Galactic Nuclei in Quenching Low-Mass Galaxies

Presentation #108.05 in the session SDSS-IVever: Continuing Science from SDSS-IV Surveys.

Published onJun 19, 2024
Probing the Role of Active Galactic Nuclei in Quenching Low-Mass Galaxies

The role of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in shutting down – quenching – star formation in low-mass galaxies remains unclear. Using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA), we select a sample of low-mass galaxies that have optical emission line ratios suggestive of the presence of an AGN. We show that low-mass galaxies with AGNs tend to occupy less dense environments than inactive low-mass galaxies. In particular, quenched low-mass galaxies with AGNs are likely to be located in isolation or in low-mass galaxy groups. This indicates that the processes driving quenching in these galaxies are not related to environmental effects. Additionally, HI and CO observations of a subset of our galaxy sample show that low-mass galaxies with AGNs are generally gas-depleted. Finally, calculations of the mass-weighted (MW) stellar age in each spaxel of our galaxy sample indicate that there is a radial age gradient present in low-mass galaxies with AGNs that we do not see in inactive galaxies. The AGN galaxies have MW stellar ages that are 10 times lower within one effective radius of their centers than their median MW stellar ages. Overall, the combination of this work suggests that AGNs can influence the gas and star formation enough to potentially be a dominant quenching mechanism in low-mass galaxies.

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