Searching for active supermassive black holes in shocked post-starburst galaxies with ultraviolet – infrared spectral energy distributions

Abstract

There are two main types of galaxies: blue starforming galaxies and red “quiescent” galaxies. The specifics of how one type transitions to another remain unclear. However, it is likely that the supermassive black hole (SMBH) within each galaxy plays a critical role in its transition. When an SMBH is actively accreting, it is known as an active galactic nucleus. Post-starburst galaxies (PSBs) are galaxies in which star formation has recently ceased and are thought to be one of the first stages in the galactic transition process. Shocked Post-Starburst Galaxies (SPOGs) are identified through the presence of numerous A-type (young) stars and ionized gas line ratios consistent with shocks and are thought to be in an even earlier stage of the transition process than classically selected PSBs (Alatalo et al. 2016). The overarching goal of this project is to identify and assess the activity level of active galactic nuclei in Shocked Post-Starburst Galaxies.