How AGN and SN Feedback Affect Mass Transport and Black Hole Growth in High-redshift Galaxies

Abstract

Using cosmological hydrodynamical simulations, we study the effect of supernova (SN) and active galactic nucleus (AGN) feedback on the mass transport (MT) of gas onto galactic nuclei and the black hole (BH) growth down to redshift z ∼ 6 . We study the BH growth in relation to the MT processes associated with gravity and pressure torques and how they are modified by feedback. Cosmological gas funneled through cold flows reaches the galactic outer region close to freefall. Then torques associated with pressure triggered by gas turbulent motions produced in the circumgalactic medium by shocks and explosions from SNe are the main source of MT beyond the central ∼100 pc. Due to high concentrations of mass in the central galactic region, gravitational torques tend to be more important at high redshift. The combined effect of almost freefalling material and both gravity and pressure torques produces a mass accretion rate of order ∼ 1 M ⊙ yr −1 at approximately parsec scales. In the absence of SN feedback, AGN feedback alone does not affect significantly either star formation or BH growth until the BH reaches a sufficiently high mass of ∼ 10 6 M ⊙ to self-regulate. SN feedback alone, instead, decreases both stellar and BH growth. Finally, SN and AGN feedback in tandem efficiently quench the BH growth, while star formation remains at the levels set by SN feedback alone, due to the small final BH mass, ∼few times 10 5 M ⊙ . SNe create a more rarefied and hot environment where energy injection from the central AGN can accelerate the gas further.