The PAU Survey: Active galactic nucleus galaxies in galaxy pairs
Abstract
Aims. Leveraging the high-precision photometric redshifts of the Physics of the Accelerating Universe Survey (PAUS), we aim to investigate the connection between active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and galaxy pairs up to redshifts of ∼1.0. Methods. We identified 16,824 galaxy pairs with projected separations of rp < 100 kpc and radial-velocity differences of ΔV < 3500 km s−1. AGNs were selected by cross-matching PAUS galaxies with multi-wavelength AGN catalogues, yielding 270 AGNs in pairs out of a parent sample of 8,880 AGNs in PAUS. We constructed control samples of isolated AGNs; non-AGNs in pairs; and isolated non-AGNs matched in redshift, absolute magnitude, and environment. Results. Active galactic nuclei in pairs show progressively redder rest-frame colours with increasing redshift, particularly at redshifts of z≳ 0.5, whereas isolated AGNs and non-AGNs in pairs show no significant colour evolution and remain at Mg−Mr∼0.65. Pairs hosting AGNs are also preferentially morphologically disturbed interacting systems found at smaller projected separations and velocity offsets, consistent with more dynamically advanced interactions. Conclusions. These results provide evidence of a redshift-dependent link between galaxy interactions and AGN activity, suggesting that interactions play an increasingly important role in triggering nuclear activity at intermediate redshifts. This study highlights the unique capability of PAUS to probe AGN-galaxy interaction connections beyond the local Universe with unprecedented statistical power.
Versions
Related
- The black hole--galaxy correlations of the 12,μm local active galactic nucleus sample: A NuSTAR perspective
- Active galactic nucleus activity in brightest cluster galaxies at intermediate redshifts in Sunyaev-Zel'dovich--selected clusters
- Active galactic nucleus activity in nearby disk galaxies: The roles of bar strength and spiral arm morphology
- The interplay between active galactic nucleus photoionization, radio jet, and star formation in the z ∼ 3.5 radio galaxy 4C +03.24
- X-rays from Low-mass Active Galaxies in the Galaxy And Mass Assembly (GAMA) Survey
BibTeX
@misc{duplancic2026survey,
title = {{The PAU Survey: Active galactic nucleus galaxies in galaxy pairs}},
author = {F. Duplancic and M. Siudek and D. Navarro-Gironés and E. J. Gonzalez and F. Rodriguez and S. Alonso and I. V. Daza-Perilla and D. G. Lambas and E. Gaztañaga and A. L. O'Mill and M. Eriksen and J. Carretero and R. Casas and F. J. Castander and J. García-Bellido and H. Hildebrandt and M. Mezcua and R. Miquel and C. Padilla and P. Renard and E. Sánchez and S. Serrano and I. Sevilla-Noarbe and P. Tallada-Crespí},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.30309},
eprint = {2610.30309},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.30309},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - The PAU Survey: Active galactic nucleus galaxies in galaxy pairs
AU - F. Duplancic
AU - M. Siudek
AU - D. Navarro-Gironés
AU - E. J. Gonzalez
AU - F. Rodriguez
AU - S. Alonso
AU - I. V. Daza-Perilla
AU - D. G. Lambas
AU - E. Gaztañaga
AU - A. L. O'Mill
AU - M. Eriksen
AU - J. Carretero
AU - R. Casas
AU - F. J. Castander
AU - J. García-Bellido
AU - H. Hildebrandt
AU - M. Mezcua
AU - R. Miquel
AU - C. Padilla
AU - P. Renard
AU - E. Sánchez
AU - S. Serrano
AU - I. Sevilla-Noarbe
AU - P. Tallada-Crespí
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/21
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.30309
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.30309
AB - Aims. Leveraging the high-precision photometric redshifts of the Physics of the Accelerating Universe Survey (PAUS), we aim to investigate the connection between active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and galaxy pairs up to redshifts of ∼1.0. Methods. We identified 16,824 galaxy pairs with projected separations of r_p < 100 kpc and radial-velocity differences of ΔV < 3500 km s^−1. AGNs were selected by cross-matching PAUS galaxies with multi-wavelength AGN catalogues, yielding 270 AGNs in pairs out of a parent sample of 8,880 AGNs in PAUS. We constructed control samples of isolated AGNs; non-AGNs in pairs; and isolated non-AGNs matched in redshift, absolute magnitude, and environment. Results. Active galactic nuclei in pairs show progressively redder rest-frame colours with increasing redshift, particularly at redshifts of z≳ 0.5, whereas isolated AGNs and non-AGNs in pairs show no significant colour evolution and remain at M_g−M_r∼0.65. Pairs hosting AGNs are also preferentially morphologically disturbed interacting systems found at smaller projected separations and velocity offsets, consistent with more dynamically advanced interactions. Conclusions. These results provide evidence of a redshift-dependent link between galaxy interactions and AGN activity, suggesting that interactions play an increasingly important role in triggering nuclear activity at intermediate redshifts. This study highlights the unique capability of PAUS to probe AGN-galaxy interaction connections beyond the local Universe with unprecedented statistical power.
ER -