Galaxy-Scale Outflows Driven by Active Galactic Nuclei

Understand

We present hydrodynamical simulations of major mergers of galaxies and study the effects of winds produced by active galactic nuclei (AGN) on interstellar gas in the AGN's host galaxy.

• We consider winds with initial velocities ~ 10,000 km/s and an initial momentum (energy) flux of ~ tau_w L/c (~ 0.01 tau_w L), with tau_w ~ 1-10.
• The AGN wind sweeps up and shock heats the surrounding interstellar gas, leading to a galaxy-scale outflow with velocities ~ 1000 km/s, peak mass outflow rates comparable to the star formation rate, and a total ejected gas mass ~ 3 x 10^9 M_sun.
• Large momentum fluxes, tau_w > 3, are required for the AGN-driven galactic outflow to suppress star formation and accretion in the black hole's host galaxy.