James Webb Space Telescope Feed Post
AGNs and Host Galaxies in COSMOS-Web. I. NIRCam Images, PSF Models and Initial Results on X-ray-selected Broad-line AGNs at 0.35\lesssim z \lesssim 3.5
Paper abstract: We present detailed and comprehensive data reduction and point-spread-function (PSF) model construction for all public JWST NIRCam imaging data from the COSMOS-Web treasury program (up to June 2023, totaling 0.28 {\rm deg}^2). We show that the NIRCam PSF has significant short-timescale temporal variations and random spatial variations in all four filters (F115W, F150W, F277W, and F444W). Combining NIRCam with archival HST imaging, we perform multiwavelength AGN+host image decomposition to study the properties of 143 X-ray-selected (L_{\rm bol}=10^{43.6-47.2} erg s^{-1}) broad-line AGNs at 0.35<~ z <~ 3.5. Leveraging the superb resolution, wavelength coverage, and sensitivity of NIRCam, we successfully detect host stellar emission after decomposing the central AGN point source in 142 objects. ~ 2/3 AGNs are in star-forming galaxies based on the UVJ diagram, suggesting no instantaneous negative AGN feedback. X-ray-selected broad-line AGN hosts follow a similar stellar mass-size relation as inactive galaxies, albeit with slightly smaller galaxy sizes. We find that although major mergers are rare (~7-22%) among the sample, more subtle non-axisymmetric features from stellar bars, spiral arms, and minor mergers are ubiquitous, highlighting the importance of secular processes and minor mergers in triggering AGN activity. For a subsample of 30 AGNs at 1
