The Role of Active Galactic Nuclei in Galaxy Evolution Across Cosmic Time

近几十年来，很明显，附近宇宙中的几乎所有星系都有一个中央超大质量黑洞（SMBH）。这些SMBHs通过吸积（“吃掉”，被称为AGN）物质而生长，这一过程可以释放足够的能量（通过射电喷流或风）将星系中心的所有气体和恒星吹散，从而影响星系的生长和演化。虽然这张SMBH-星系相互作用的图片在附近的宇宙中得到了很好的研究，但在宇宙早期，当宇宙年轻得多的时候，SMBH的关系和作用是不确定的。该项目旨在利用超深射电观测（来自LOFAR望远镜）来识别这样的AGN，并结合从光学到红外波长的深多波长数据，研究AGN及其宿主星系从现在到100多亿年前是如何演变的。该项目还旨在研究星系环境等不同属性如何影响这种关系。

In recent decades, it has become evident that almost all galaxies in the nearby universe host a central Super-Massive Black Hole (SMBH). These SMBHs grow by accreting ("eating", known as an AGN) matter and this processes can release enough energy (via radio jets or winds) to blow apart all of the gas and stars from within the centre of the galaxy, therefore affecting how galaxies grow and evolve. While this picture of SMBH-galaxy interaction is well studied in the nearby universe, the relationship and the role of the SMBH at earlier cosmic times, when the universe was much younger, is uncertain. This project aims to use ultra-deep radio observations (from the LOFAR telescope) to identify such AGN, in combination with deep multi-wavelength data from optical to infrared wavelengths to study how AGN and their host galaxies evolve in time between now and more than 10 billion years ago. The project also aims to study how different properties such as galaxy environment affect this relationship.