Tripling the Census of Dwarf AGN Candidates Using DESI Early Data

Ragadeepika Pucha; S. Juneau; Arjun Dey; M. Siudek; M. Mezcua; J. Moustakas; S. BenZvi; K. Hainline; R. Hviding; Yao Yuan Mao; D. M. Alexander; R. Alfarsy; C. Circosta; Wei Jian Guo; V. Manwadkar; P. Martini; B. A. Weaver; J. Aguilar; S. Ahlen; D. Bianchi; D. Brooks; R. Canning; T. Claybaugh; K. Dawson; A. de la Macorra; Biprateep Dey; P. Doel; A. Font-Ribera; J. E. Forero-Romero; E. Gaztañaga; S. Gontcho A Gontcho; G. Gutierrez; K. Honscheid; R. Kehoe; S. E. Koposov; A. Lambert; M. Landriau; L. Le Guillou; A. Meisner; R. Miquel; F. Prada; G. Rossi; E. Sanchez; D. Schlegel; M. Schubnell; H. Seo; D. Sprayberry; G. Tarlé; H. Zou

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd

Tripling the Census of Dwarf AGN Candidates Using DESI Early Data

Ragadeepika Pucha
, S. Juneau
, Arjun Dey
, M. Siudek
, M. Mezcua
, J. Moustakas
, S. BenZvi
, K. Hainline
, R. Hviding
, Yao Yuan Mao
, D. M. Alexander
, R. Alfarsy
, C. Circosta
, Wei Jian Guo
, V. Manwadkar
, P. Martini
, B. A. Weaver
, J. Aguilar
, S. Ahlen
, D. Bianchi

D. Brooks, R. Canning, T. Claybaugh, K. Dawson, A. de la Macorra, Biprateep Dey, P. Doel, A. Font-Ribera, J. E. Forero-Romero, E. Gaztañaga, S. Gontcho A Gontcho, G. Gutierrez, K. Honscheid, R. Kehoe, S. E. Koposov, A. Lambert, M. Landriau, L. Le Guillou, A. Meisner, R. Miquel, F. Prada, G. Rossi, E. Sanchez, D. Schlegel, M. Schubnell, H. Seo, D. Sprayberry, G. Tarlé, H. Zou

Steward Observatory

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Using early data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey, we search for active galactic nuclei (AGN) signatures in 410,757 line-emitting galaxies. By employing the BPT emission-line ratio diagnostic diagram, we identify AGNs in 75,928/296,261 (≈25.6%) high-mass ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) > 9.5) and 2444/114,496 (≈2.1%) dwarf ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≤ 9.5) galaxies. Of these AGN candidates, 4181 sources exhibit a broad Hα component, allowing us to estimate their BH masses via virial techniques. This study more than triples the census of dwarf AGNs and doubles the number of intermediate-mass black hole (M_BH ≤ 10⁶M_⊙) candidates, spanning a broad discovery space in stellar mass (7 < log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) < 12) and redshift (0.001 <z < 0.45). The observed AGN fraction in dwarf galaxies (≈2.1%) is nearly four times higher than prior estimates, primarily due to DESI’s smaller fiber size, which enables the detection of lower-luminosity dwarf AGN candidates. We also extend the M_BH-M_⋆ scaling relation down to log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≈ 8.5 and log ( M BH / M ⊙ ) ≈ 4.4, with our results aligning well with previous low-redshift studies. The large statistical sample of dwarf AGN candidates from current and future DESI releases will be invaluable for enhancing our understanding of galaxy evolution at the low-mass end of the galaxy mass function.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	10
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	982
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd
State	Published - Mar 20 2025

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd

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Pucha, R., Juneau, S., Dey, A., Siudek, M., Mezcua, M., Moustakas, J., BenZvi, S., Hainline, K., Hviding, R., Mao, Y. Y., Alexander, D. M., Alfarsy, R., Circosta, C., Guo, W. J., Manwadkar, V., Martini, P., Weaver, B. A., Aguilar, J., Ahlen, S., ... Zou, H. (2025). Tripling the Census of Dwarf AGN Candidates Using DESI Early Data. Astrophysical Journal, 982(1), Article 10. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd

Pucha, R, Juneau, S, Dey, A, Siudek, M, Mezcua, M, Moustakas, J, BenZvi, S, Hainline, K, Hviding, R, Mao, YY, Alexander, DM, Alfarsy, R, Circosta, C, Guo, WJ, Manwadkar, V, Martini, P, Weaver, BA, Aguilar, J, Ahlen, S, Bianchi, D, Brooks, D, Canning, R, Claybaugh, T, Dawson, K, de la Macorra, A, Dey, B, Doel, P, Font-Ribera, A, Forero-Romero, JE, Gaztañaga, E, Gontcho A Gontcho, S, Gutierrez, G, Honscheid, K, Kehoe, R, Koposov, SE, Lambert, A, Landriau, M, Le Guillou, L, Meisner, A, Miquel, R, Prada, F, Rossi, G, Sanchez, E, Schlegel, D, Schubnell, M, Seo, H, Sprayberry, D, Tarlé, G & Zou, H 2025, 'Tripling the Census of Dwarf AGN Candidates Using DESI Early Data', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 982, no. 1, 10. https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd

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title = "Tripling the Census of Dwarf AGN Candidates Using DESI Early Data",

abstract = "Using early data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey, we search for active galactic nuclei (AGN) signatures in 410,757 line-emitting galaxies. By employing the BPT emission-line ratio diagnostic diagram, we identify AGNs in 75,928/296,261 (≈25.6\%) high-mass ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) > 9.5) and 2444/114,496 (≈2.1\%) dwarf ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≤ 9.5) galaxies. Of these AGN candidates, 4181 sources exhibit a broad Hα component, allowing us to estimate their BH masses via virial techniques. This study more than triples the census of dwarf AGNs and doubles the number of intermediate-mass black hole (MBH ≤ 106M⊙) candidates, spanning a broad discovery space in stellar mass (7 < log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) < 12) and redshift (0.001 BH-M⋆ scaling relation down to log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≈ 8.5 and log ( M BH / M ⊙ ) ≈ 4.4, with our results aligning well with previous low-redshift studies. The large statistical sample of dwarf AGN candidates from current and future DESI releases will be invaluable for enhancing our understanding of galaxy evolution at the low-mass end of the galaxy mass function.",

author = "Ragadeepika Pucha and S. Juneau and Arjun Dey and M. Siudek and M. Mezcua and J. Moustakas and S. BenZvi and K. Hainline and R. Hviding and Mao, \{Yao Yuan\} and Alexander, \{D. M.\} and R. Alfarsy and C. Circosta and Guo, \{Wei Jian\} and V. Manwadkar and P. Martini and Weaver, \{B. A.\} and J. Aguilar and S. Ahlen and D. Bianchi and D. Brooks and R. Canning and T. Claybaugh and K. Dawson and \{de la Macorra\}, A. and Biprateep Dey and P. Doel and A. Font-Ribera and Forero-Romero, \{J. E.\} and E. Gazta{\~n}aga and \{Gontcho A Gontcho\}, S. and G. Gutierrez and K. Honscheid and R. Kehoe and Koposov, \{S. E.\} and A. Lambert and M. Landriau and \{Le Guillou\}, L. and A. Meisner and R. Miquel and F. Prada and G. Rossi and E. Sanchez and D. Schlegel and M. Schubnell and H. Seo and D. Sprayberry and G. Tarl{\'e} and H. Zou",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.",

year = "2025",

month = mar,

day = "20",

doi = "10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "982",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Tripling the Census of Dwarf AGN Candidates Using DESI Early Data

AU - Pucha, Ragadeepika

AU - Juneau, S.

AU - Dey, Arjun

AU - Siudek, M.

AU - Mezcua, M.

AU - Moustakas, J.

AU - BenZvi, S.

AU - Hainline, K.

AU - Hviding, R.

AU - Mao, Yao Yuan

AU - Alexander, D. M.

AU - Alfarsy, R.

AU - Circosta, C.

AU - Guo, Wei Jian

AU - Manwadkar, V.

AU - Martini, P.

AU - Weaver, B. A.

AU - Aguilar, J.

AU - Ahlen, S.

AU - Bianchi, D.

AU - Brooks, D.

AU - Canning, R.

AU - Claybaugh, T.

AU - Dawson, K.

AU - de la Macorra, A.

AU - Dey, Biprateep

AU - Doel, P.

AU - Font-Ribera, A.

AU - Forero-Romero, J. E.

AU - Gaztañaga, E.

AU - Gontcho A Gontcho, S.

AU - Gutierrez, G.

AU - Honscheid, K.

AU - Kehoe, R.

AU - Koposov, S. E.

AU - Lambert, A.

AU - Landriau, M.

AU - Le Guillou, L.

AU - Meisner, A.

AU - Miquel, R.

AU - Prada, F.

AU - Rossi, G.

AU - Sanchez, E.

AU - Schlegel, D.

AU - Schubnell, M.

AU - Seo, H.

AU - Sprayberry, D.

AU - Tarlé, G.

AU - Zou, H.

PY - 2025/3/20

Y1 - 2025/3/20

N2 - Using early data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey, we search for active galactic nuclei (AGN) signatures in 410,757 line-emitting galaxies. By employing the BPT emission-line ratio diagnostic diagram, we identify AGNs in 75,928/296,261 (≈25.6%) high-mass ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) > 9.5) and 2444/114,496 (≈2.1%) dwarf ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≤ 9.5) galaxies. Of these AGN candidates, 4181 sources exhibit a broad Hα component, allowing us to estimate their BH masses via virial techniques. This study more than triples the census of dwarf AGNs and doubles the number of intermediate-mass black hole (MBH ≤ 106M⊙) candidates, spanning a broad discovery space in stellar mass (7 < log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) < 12) and redshift (0.001 BH-M⋆ scaling relation down to log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≈ 8.5 and log ( M BH / M ⊙ ) ≈ 4.4, with our results aligning well with previous low-redshift studies. The large statistical sample of dwarf AGN candidates from current and future DESI releases will be invaluable for enhancing our understanding of galaxy evolution at the low-mass end of the galaxy mass function.

AB - Using early data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) survey, we search for active galactic nuclei (AGN) signatures in 410,757 line-emitting galaxies. By employing the BPT emission-line ratio diagnostic diagram, we identify AGNs in 75,928/296,261 (≈25.6%) high-mass ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) > 9.5) and 2444/114,496 (≈2.1%) dwarf ( log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≤ 9.5) galaxies. Of these AGN candidates, 4181 sources exhibit a broad Hα component, allowing us to estimate their BH masses via virial techniques. This study more than triples the census of dwarf AGNs and doubles the number of intermediate-mass black hole (MBH ≤ 106M⊙) candidates, spanning a broad discovery space in stellar mass (7 < log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) < 12) and redshift (0.001 BH-M⋆ scaling relation down to log ( M ⋆ / M ⊙ ) ≈ 8.5 and log ( M BH / M ⊙ ) ≈ 4.4, with our results aligning well with previous low-redshift studies. The large statistical sample of dwarf AGN candidates from current and future DESI releases will be invaluable for enhancing our understanding of galaxy evolution at the low-mass end of the galaxy mass function.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105000369653

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105000369653#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd

DO - 10.3847/1538-4357/adb1dd

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105000369653

SN - 0004-637X

VL - 982

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1

M1 - 10

ER -

Tripling the Census of Dwarf AGN Candidates Using DESI Early Data

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