Table · dataset · 2026
Major merger classification in COSMOS-Web
Listed in IVOA Registry (Virtual Observatory)
Galaxy major mergers are a potential mechanism for triggering active galactic nuclei (AGN) activity, but their role remains debated, particularly beyond the local Universe.
Description
We aim to shed light on the merger-AGN connection at z=0.5-2, exploiting the multi-wavelength datasets and James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) observations in the COSMOS field. We construct a stellar mass-limited sample and identify AGN via mid-infrared (MIR) colours, X-ray detections, and spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting.
We train convolutional neural networks to identify mergers with mock JWST observations. We create non-AGN and non-merger control samples matching the redshift, stellar mass, and star-formation rate distributions of the AGN and mergers. We find AGN to be moderately more frequent in mergers than in non-mergers, with excess ratios ranging from ~2.5 (X-ray AGN) to ~1.3 (MIR) and ~1.1-1.2 (SED AGN).
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Similarly, AGN galaxies show a higher merger fraction (f_merg_) than non-AGN controls. We then study f_merg_ as a function of relative and absolute AGN power, utilising the AGN fraction (f_AGN_) and accretion disc luminosity (L_disc_) parameters. We uncover a f_merg_-f_AGN_ relation with two regimes: f_merg_ stays roughly flat for less-dominant AGN (f_AGN_<0.8) but increases at f_AGN_>0.8 for the MIR and X-ray AGN, and more gently for SED AGN, where mergers appear to be the main triggering mechanism.
Additionally, f_merg_ increases monotonically as a function of L_disc_, for all AGN types, reaching f_merg_>50% for the most luminous AGN (L_disc_>~10^46^erg/s). Overall, our results suggest that major mergers can trigger AGN out to the cosmic noon at z~2. Furthermore, the role of major mergers shows a clear dependence on AGN luminosity and remains the principal mechanism for fuelling the most powerful AGN.
Links
Where it is published
- Reference page cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/viz-bin/cat/J/A+A/708/A373 ↗
landing page · from IVOA Registry
Documentation and papers
- ADS 2026A&A...708A.373L ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2026A%26A...708A.373L ↗
publication · from IVOA Registry
Catalogue records · 2
- VOResource record dc.g-vo.org/oai.xml?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=ivo_vor&identifier=ivo%3… ↗
metadata API · from IVOA Registry
- Registry record (GAVO) dc.g-vo.org/I/cds.vizier/j/a%2Ba/708/a373 ↗
catalogue entry · from IVOA Registry
Topics
- From keywords
- Astronomy & Astrophysics
- Inferred from text
- Astronomical sciences 71%
Provenance · 1 source records, 10 field assertions
| Source | Key | Last seen | Raw |
|---|---|---|---|
| IVOA Registry (Virtual Observatory) | ivo://cds.vizier/j/a+a/708/a373 | 12 d ago | JSON v1 |
| Field | Assertion | Extractor | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| access_level | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[field].anzsrc:group:5101 | enrichment · IVOA Registry | taxonomy-embedding@1.1.0 | title+keywords+description (71%) |
| concepts[field].local:field:astronomy | mapping · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[modality].ivoa_waveband:infrared | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| concepts[modality].ivoa_waveband:optical | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| description | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | rr.resource.res_description |
| license_text | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| publication_date | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | |
| title | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 | rr.resource.res_title |
| updated_date | source · IVOA Registry | connector:ivoa_registry@1.0.0 |