Which came first: supermassive black holes or galaxies? Insights from JWST

Which came first: supermassive black holes or galaxies? Insights from JWST

January 8, 2024 | JOSEPH SILK, MITCHELL C. BEGELMAN, COLIN NORMAN, ADI NUSSER, ROSEMARY F. G. WYSE
The paper discusses the coevolution of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and galaxies, focusing on the insights gained from JWST observations. It suggests that active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback evolved from a short-lived, high-redshift phase characterized by radiatively cooled turbulence and momentum-conserving outflows, which stimulated vigorous early star formation ("positive" feedback), to a later phase where energy-conserving outflows depleted halo gas reservoirs and quenched star formation. The transition between these regimes occurred around z ≈ 6, independent of galaxy mass. Observational evidence supports the prevalence of massive black holes at high redshifts, and the authors discuss their origins. They argue that the high-redshift SMBH-containing galaxy population is ultracompact, leading to rapid cooling of outflow-shocked gas and triggering star formation through positive feedback. This transitions to negative feedback at lower redshifts, as cooling becomes inefficient and star formation is quenched by energetic outflows. The paper also explores the implications for SMBH scaling laws and observational probes, including the detection of hidden AGN feedback through very high specific star formation rates.The paper discusses the coevolution of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and galaxies, focusing on the insights gained from JWST observations. It suggests that active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback evolved from a short-lived, high-redshift phase characterized by radiatively cooled turbulence and momentum-conserving outflows, which stimulated vigorous early star formation ("positive" feedback), to a later phase where energy-conserving outflows depleted halo gas reservoirs and quenched star formation. The transition between these regimes occurred around z ≈ 6, independent of galaxy mass. Observational evidence supports the prevalence of massive black holes at high redshifts, and the authors discuss their origins. They argue that the high-redshift SMBH-containing galaxy population is ultracompact, leading to rapid cooling of outflow-shocked gas and triggering star formation through positive feedback. This transitions to negative feedback at lower redshifts, as cooling becomes inefficient and star formation is quenched by energetic outflows. The paper also explores the implications for SMBH scaling laws and observational probes, including the detection of hidden AGN feedback through very high specific star formation rates.
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Understanding Which Came First%3A Supermassive Black Holes or Galaxies%3F Insights from JWST