A method of identifying AGNs based on emission-line excess and the nature of low-luminosity AGNs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. II. The nature of low-luminosity AGNs

Abstract

We have developed a new method of identifying active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and studied the nature of low-luminosity AGNs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This is the latter part of a series of papers in which we consider correlations between the AGN activities and the host-galaxy properties. Based on a sample of AGNs identified by a new method developed in the former part (2012, PASJ, 64, 36), we found that AGNs typically show extinction of τV = 1.2, and exhibit a wide range of ionization levels. The finding of ionization levels motivated us to use [O II] + [O III] as an indicator of AGN power. We found that AGNs are preferentially located in massive, red, earlytype galaxies. Taking into account a selection bias of the Oxygen-excess method, we showed that strong AGNs are located in active star-forming galaxies, and that rapidly growing super-massive black holes are located in rapidly growing galaxies, which clearly shows the coevolution of super-massive black holes and their host galaxies. This is a surprising phenomenon, given that the growths of black holes and host galaxies occur on their respective physical scales which are very different. Interestingly, the AGN power does not strongly correlate with the host-galaxy mass. It seems that the mass works as a "switch" for activating AGNs. The absence of AGNs in low-mass galaxies might be due to the absence of super-massive black holes there, but a dedicated observation of the nuclear region of nearby low-mass galaxies would be necessary to obtain a deeper insight into it. © 2012 Astronomical Society of Japan.