Are Compton-Thick AGN the Missing Link Between Mergers and Black Hole Growth?

Understand

We examine the host morphologies of heavily obscured active galactic nuclei (AGN) at $z\sim1$ to test whether obscured supermassive black hole growth at this epoch is preferentially linked to galaxy mergers.

• Our sample consists of 154 obscured AGN with $N_{\rm H}>10^{23.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ and $z<1.5$.
• Using visual classifications, we compare the morphologies of these AGN to control samples of moderately obscured ($10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$ $<N_{\rm H}< 10^{23.5}$ cm$^{-2}$) and unobscured ($N_{\rm H}<10^{22}$ cm$^{-2}$) AGN.
• These control AGN are matched in redshift and intrinsic X-ray luminosity to our heavily obscured AGN.