Observational Signatures of AGN Feedback in the Morphology and the Ionization States of Milky Way-mass Galaxies
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Qutob, Nadia
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We make an in-depth analysis of different AGN jet models' signatures, inducing quiescence in galaxies with a halo mass of 10^12 solar masses. Three jet models, including cosmic ray-dominant, hot thermal, and precessing kinetic jets, are studied at two energy flux levels each, compared to a jet-free, stellar feedback-only simulation. This experiment employs the FIRE and GIZMO galaxy simulations and utilizes the TRIDENT and YT post-processing algorithms to analyze the behavior of three different types of ions (O VIII, O VI, Mg II) within three different types of star-formation-quenching jets in Milky Way-mass galaxies. High-energy ions, such as O VIII, occur in the edge of a galaxy’s AGN jet cocoon. Meanwhile low-energy ions, like Mg II, concentrate in the ISM. High-energy flux jets display an isotropic ion distribution with lower overall density. Whereas high-energy thermal or cosmic ray jets pressurize at smaller radii, significantly suppressing core density. The cosmic ray AGN jet provides extra pressure support, extending cool and warm gas distribution. A break in the ion-to-mass ratio slope in O VI and O VIII is demonstrated in the ISM-to-CGM transition (between 10-30 kpc), growing smoothly towards the CGM at greater distances.
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Undergraduate Research Option Thesis