Identifying Doppelganger Active Galactic Nuclei across redshifts from spectroscopic surveys
By: Shreya Sareen, Swayamtrupta Panda
Potential Business Impact:
Find distant galaxies by matching nearby ones.
Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) are among the most luminous objects in the universe, making them valuable probes for studying galaxy evolution. However, understanding how AGN properties evolve over cosmic time remains a fundamental challenge. This study investigates whether AGNs at low redshift (nearby) can serve as proxies for their high-redshift (distant) counterparts by identifying spectral 'doppelg\"angers', AGNs with remarkably similar emission line properties despite being separated by vast cosmic distances. We analyze key spectral features of bona fide AGNs using the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's Data Release 16, including continuum and emission lines: Nitrogen (N V), Carbon (C IV), Magnesium (Mg II), Hydrogen-beta (H$\beta$), and Iron (Fe II - optical and UV) emission lines. We incorporated properties such as equivalent width, velocity dispersion in the form of full width at half maximum (FWHM), and continuum luminosities (135nm, 300nm, and 510nm) closest to these prominent lines. Our initial findings suggest the existence of multiple AGNs with highly similar spectra, hinting at the possibility that local AGNs may indeed share intrinsic properties with high-redshift ones. We showcase here one of the better candidate pairs of AGNs resulting from our analyses.
Similar Papers
Euclid Quick Data Release (Q1). Active galactic nuclei identification using diffusion-based inpainting of Euclid VIS images
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Finds hidden bright spots in distant galaxies.
The optical and infrared are connected
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Predicts galaxy heat from its light.
CIGaRS I: Combined simulation-based inference from SNae Ia and host photometry
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
Makes space maps more accurate using exploding stars.