Description
The characterisation of AGN and their hosts across cosmic time is a key ingredient in understanding galaxy evolution. Acquiring high-quality data is crucial for this, and JWST has generated significant progress in this field. With JWST, AGN identified include those deemed ‘Type-IIs’, which are typically BLR-obscured, with a wealth of inferences still possible through characterisation of their NLRs. Works identifying these include Scholtz+23, which introduced a sample of 41 Type-II AGN candidates spanning 1 < z < 10.
This talk will focus on the characterisation of objects from Scholtz+23 using spectrophotometric analysis and the SED fitting code BEAGLE-AGN (Vidal-García,Curtis-Lake&Plat+24), an AGN extension of BEAGLE (Bayesian Analysis of Galaxy SEDs; Chevallard&Charlot2016). BEAGLE-AGN can characterise Type-II AGN by retrieving physical parameters of the NLR. By applying this tool to these AGN candidates, we can simultaneously extract information on their AGN-related properties and star formation activity.
Key derived parameters include accretion disk luminosity, NLR ionising emissivity and ionising parameter, pertaining to AGN feedback and contribution during the Epoch of Reionization. Constraints on NLR metallicities will also enable us to populate the high-redshift mass-metallicity-plane for AGN, offering comparisons to local studies in the process. Comparing HII-region and NLR metallicities will provide unique commentary on topics such as inside-out/outside-in growth in these early times. Additionally, AGN candidates from Scholtz+23 will be investigated for potentially non-standard elemental abundances, as done in Silcock+24. This adds to the already growing discussion regarding elemental enhancement in AGN (Isobe+25, Cameron+23), which may also be relevant for comparisons to local analogues.
