Identifying Analogs of NGC 6240: Galaxies with Dual Supermassive Black Holes
We request a combination of ACIS-S (200 ks total) and HST/WFC3 (10 orbits total) observations of 10 galaxies that ground-based observations indicate likely host two kpc-scale separation AGN, known as "dual AGN". Each target has double-peaked, spatially offset AGN emission lines suggestive of dual AGN, but ACIS-S detections of two X-ray point sources would be definitive proof of dual AGN. Complementary WFC3 imaging of the host galaxies would reveal details of the galaxy mergers that produce dual AGN. Combined, the ACIS-S and WFC3 observations would establish a powerful new technique for identifying large numbers of dual AGN with ground-based observations, and have important implications for understanding galaxy evolution, black hole growth, and the parent population of LISA sources.
We observe 10 galaixes that are dual AGN candidates. Joint Chandra observations will confirm which galaxies are bone fide dual AGN, and the WFC3 B, I, and H observations will reveal 1) stellar nuclei coincident with the AGN, where the relative brightnesses of the stellar nuclei will constrain the mass ratio of the galaxy merger that produced the dual AGN; 2) low surface-brightness features such as tidal tails that are signatures of recent merging activity; and 3) host galaxy stellar populations, which may reveal recent star formation triggered by a merger.
We require multiple filters in order to disentangle, both spectrally and spatially, variations in stellar populations. In the blue we choose F438W (B) to avoid contamination from Hbeta emission, while in the red we choose F814W (broad I) because of its high throughput and to avoid contamination from emission lines such as [O III] 5007. In the near-infrared, we choose F160W (broad H). WFC3 is the camera of choice, as it will enable us to cover the entire wavelength range with the highest sensitivity and finest pixel scale.
We will observe one orbit per target, which will provide the exposure times needed to reveal merger-remnant signatures of the host galaxies. Using the WFC3 IR and UVIS Exposure Time Calculators, we estimated our science exposure times for the stellar nuclei accompanying the AGN by 1) the assumption that the brighter stellar nucleus is two magnitudes fainter than the total host galaxy; 2) the assumption that the mass ratio, which is unknown, could be as small as 10:1; and 3) the requirement that each stellar nucleus be detected at a signal-to-noise ratio >20. These exposure times also ensure signal-to-noise ratios >10 in a 5 x 5 pixel box for the host galaxy tidal features at I=22 and fainter in our redshift regime (corresponding to at least 4 magnitudes fainter than each target's total I-band magnitude). They will also enable robust measurements of the host galaxy stellar populations.
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