Observational Tests of Active Galactic Nuclei Feedback: An Overview of Approaches and Interpretation

Understand

Growing supermassive black holes (Active Galactic Nuclei; AGN) release energy with the potential to alter their host galaxies and larger-scale environment; a process named "AGN feedback".

• Feedback is a required component of galaxy formation models and simulations to explain observed properties of galaxy populations.
• We provide a broad overview of observational approaches that are designed to establish the physical processes that couple AGN energy to the multi-phase gas, or to find evidence that AGN impact upon galaxy evolution.
• The orders-of-magnitude range in spatial, temporal, and temperature scales, requires a diverse set of observational studies.