AGN Selection and Demographics in GOODS-S/HUDF from X-Ray to Radio

Abstract

We present a comprehensive census of the active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in the GOODS-S/HUDF region from the X-ray to the radio, covering both the obscured and unobscured populations. This work includes a robust analysis of the source optical to mid-IR spectral energy distributions (SEDs) featuring (semi)empirical AGN and galaxy dust emission models and Bayesian fitting techniques, ultra-deep Very Large Array 3 and 6 GHz observations, and an integrated analysis of various AGN selection techniques, including X-ray properties, UV to mid-IR SED analysis, optical spectral features, mid-IR colors, radio-loudness and spectral slope, and AGN variability. In total, we report ∼900 AGNs over the ∼170 arcmin2 3D-HST GOODS-S footprint, which has doubled the AGN number identified in the previous X-ray sample, with ∼26% of our sample undetected in the deepest Chandra image. With a summary of AGN demographics from different selection methods, we find that no one single band or technique comes close to selecting a complete AGN sample despite the great depth of the data in GOODS-S/HUDF. We estimate the yields of various approaches and explore the reasons for incompleteness. We characterize the statistical properties, such as source number density, obscuration fraction, and luminosity function of the AGN sample in this field, and discuss their immediate implications. We also provide some qualitative predictions of the AGN sample that might be discovered by the upcoming JWST surveys.

PAH Emission from Star-forming Galaxies in JWST Mid-infrared Imaging of the Lensing Cluster SMACS J0723.3-7327

“…This might be affecting the location of SFGs in the color-color-diagrams of Figures 3 and 4, as is evident especially at z > 1 by the larger scatter with respect to the simulated tracks. Lyu et al (2022) predicted a few (∼4) AGN detections per MIRI FOV. We detect one galaxy with strong point-source emission in MIRI imaging (νL ν ≈ 4 × 10 42 erg s −1 at 10 14 Hz).…”

MIDIS: JWST NIRCam and MIRI Unveil the Stellar Population Properties of Lyα Emitters and Lyman-break Galaxies at z ≃ 3–7

“…The absence of these lines excludes the possibility that obscured AGNs constitute a significant percentage of our LAEs. Nonetheless, to further investigate the possibility of obscured AGNs, we match our catalog with the one from Lyu et al (2022), who extended the detection of AGNs in XDF by studying galaxies' rest-frame optical to mid-IR emission. Also in this case, we find no counterparts.…”

“…as for the sample of LAEs) and which have a clear preference stellar or an AGN model. To further exclude AGNs, we additionally remove all matches (1″) between our catalog of LBGs and the catalogs of AGNs fromRanalli et al (2013),Luo et al (2017),Evans et al (2020), andLyu et al (2022). We also discard all sources that are matched or close (1″) to an LAE reported inBacon et al (2023; i.e., QF = 1, 2, 3), and exclude those whose light is contaminated by a nearby source.…”

Minor Merger Growth in Action: JWST Detects Faint Blue Companions around Massive Quiescent Galaxies at 0.5 ≤ z ≤ 3.0

“…Ji et al (2023, in preparation). Quiescent galaxies are selected from the 3D-HST catalog (Skelton et al 2014) Lyu et al (2022). Seven additional spectroscopically confirmed quiescent galaxies from Carnall et al (2020) are also included.…”