The Luminosity Function of X-Ray-selected Active Galactic Nuclei: Evolution of Supermassive Black Holes at High Redshift

By J. Silverman, P. Green, W. Barkhouse, Dong-Woo Kim, Minsun Kim, B. Wilkes, R. Cameron, G. Hasinger, B. Jannuzi, Malcolm G. Smith and 2 more. 2007

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We present a measure of the hard (2-8 keV) X-ray luminosity function (XLF) of AGNs up to z ∼ 5. At high redshifts, the wide area coverage of the Chandra Multiwavength Project is crucial to detect rare and luminous (LX > 1044 ergs s−1) AGNs. The inclusion of samples from deeper published surveys, such as the Chandra Deep Fields, allows us to span the lower LX range of the XLF. Our sample is selected from both the hard (z < 3, f2–8 keV > 6.3 × 10−16 ergs cm −2 s−1) and soft (z > 3, f0.5–2.0 keV > 1.0 × 10−16 ergs cm −2 s−1) energy band detections. Within our optical magnitude limits (r′, i′ < 24), we achieve an adequate level of completeness (>50%) regarding X-ray source identification (i.e., redshift). We find that the luminosity function is similar to that found in previous X-ray surveys up to z ∼ 3 with an evolution dependent on both luminosity and redshift. At z > 3, there is a significant decline in the numbers of AGNs with an evolution rate similar to that found by studies of optically selected QSOs. Based on our XLF, we assess the resolved fraction of the cosmic X-ray background, the cumulative mass density of SMBHs, and the comparison of the mean accretion rate onto SMBHs and the star formation history of galaxies as a function of redshift. A coevolution scenario up to z ∼ 2 is plausible, although at higher redshifts the accretion rate onto SMBHs drops more rapidly. Finally, we highlight the need for better statistics of high-redshift AGNs at z ≳ 3, which is achievable with the upcoming Chandra surveys.

Subfields: Astronomy and Astrophysics

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5c5dabf78d4ff7ba1439df2304addd8e7933f454

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The clustering of intermediate-redshift quasars as measured by the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (2012, background): “The emerging picture is that quasar activity and star formation are inxtricably linked (e.g. Nandra et al. 2007; Silverman et al. 2008) in galaxies that contain a massive bulge (and thus a massive black hole) and a gas reservoir.”
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Clustering of intermediate redshift quasars using the final SDSS III-BOSS sample (2015, unknown): “2007; Silverman et al. 2008; Shankar 2009).”
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Galaxy Interactions Trigger Rapid Black Hole Growth: an unprecedented view from the Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey (2017, background): “…UVJ may explain why many AGN have previously been believed to be an interesting population of transitioning ‘green-valley’ galaxies that lie between the blue cloud and red sequence (Bell et al. 2004; Faber et al. 2007; Nandra et al. 2007; Hasinger 2008; Silverman et al. 2008; Mendez et al. 2013).”
What drives the growth of black holes (2011, background): “However, the presence of powerful AGN in some starbursts is consistent with a “transition” phase between powerful star formation and rapid BH growth (e.g., Pope et al., 2008; Coppin et al., 2010) as predicted by major merger fueling models (e.g., Springel et al., 2005b; Di Matteo et al., 2005; Hopki”
The bolometric quasar luminosity function at z = 0–7 (2020, background): “…1997; Page et al. 1997; Miyaji et al. 2000; Hasinger et al. 2005), hard X-ray (e.g., Ueda et al. 2003; La Franca et al. 2005; Barger et al. 2005; Silverman et al. 2008; Ebrero et al. 2009; Yencho et al. 2009; Aird et al. 2010; Ueda et al. 2014; Aird et al. 2015a) and IR (e.g., Brown et al.…”
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THE CHANDRA COSMOS LEGACY SURVEY: OPTICAL/IR IDENTIFICATIONS (2015, background): “…exhibit a peak in star formation at z≃2 (Cimatti et al. 2006; Madau and Dickinson 2014), and SMBH growth peaks in the same redshift range (z=2-3), as the quasar luminosity function (Hasinger et al. 2005; Silverman et al. 2008; Hasinger 2008; Ueda et al. 2014; Aird et al. 2015; Miyaji et al. 2015).”
SIZES AND TEMPERATURE PROFILES OF QUASAR ACCRETION DISKS FROM CHROMATIC MICROLENSING (2010, background): “We note that the slope of the luminosity function of X-ray selected bright quasars is very similar at −2.8 (Silverman et al. 2008).”
PRIMUS: THE DEPENDENCE OF AGN ACCRETION ON HOST STELLAR MASS AND COLOR (2011, background): “…Fellow 7 Harvard College Observatory, 60 Garden St., Cambridge, MA 02138 8 Steward Observatory, The University of Arizona, 933 N. Cherry Ave., Tucson, AZ 85721 redshifts (e.g., Silverman et al. 2008; Aird et al. 2010), indicating that these processes may be controlled by a common mechanism.”
THE LUMINOSITY FUNCTION OF FERMI-DETECTED FLAT-SPECTRUM RADIO QUASARS (2011, unknown): “However, Schmidt et al. (1995) and more recently Silverman et al. (2008) reported evidence for a similarly dramatic decrease in the space density of AGNs.”
Cosmic X-ray surveys of distant active galaxies (2015, background): “7; e.g., Barger et al 2005; Hasinger et al 2005; La Franca et al 2005; Silverman et al 2008a; Ebrero et al 2009; Yencho et al 2009; Aird et al 2010; Ueda et al 2014).”
BRIGHT ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI SOURCE LIST FROM THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THE FERMI LARGE AREA TELESCOPE ALL-SKY SURVEY (2009, result): “The slope is compatible with the668 canonical value of 2.5–2.8 determined for X–ray selected samples of radio-quiet AGNs (Ueda et al.669 2003; Hasinger et al. 2005; Silverman et al. 2008).”