Active galaxies in a complete sample of isolated galaxies

Abstract

Galaxy evolution depends strongly on the environment, in particular, galaxy-galaxy interaction can induce nuclear activity by removing angular momentum from the gas so feeding the central black hole. Hence a higher rate of nuclear activity is expected in interacting galaxies. Different studies of this topic lead to contradictory results. Some works conclude that galaxies hosting an active galactic nuclei (AGN) have a higher rate of companions than non active ones. On the other hand other studies do not find this excess of interacting companion or find it only marginally. Most recente works find a different result depending on the type of Seyfer galaxy.