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| Paper: |
Circumnuclear dust in active and inactive galaxies: Implications for the fueling and lifetime of AGN |
| Volume: |
290, Active Galactic Nuclei: from Central Engine to Host Galaxy |
| Page: |
533 |
| Authors: |
Martini, P.; Mulchaey, J. S.; Regan, M. W.; Pogge, R. W. |
| Abstract: |
We have completed a visible and near-infrared HST survey of 123 nearby active and nonactive galaxies. The goal of this program is to study the cold ISM in the circumnuclear (less than a kiloparsec) region and search for AGN fueling mechanisms. These observations show that nuclear dust spirals exist in the majority of spirals, independent of the presence of an active nucleus. The morphology of the nuclear spiral structure is instead more closely connected to the presence of a large scale bar. Dust lanes along the leading edges of bars become grand design nuclear dust spirals in the circumnuclear region and demonstrate the inflow of matter over many kiloparsecs. Well-matched samples of active and nonactive galaxies show only marginal differences in their circumnuclear dust morphologies on scales as small as a hundred parsecs. We discuss the implications of these similarities for the transfer of angular momentum and how they provide an upper limit on the AGN duty cycle. |
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