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Lulu Bao

Publications and source records attributed to Lulu Bao.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

Compact, AGN-hosting Dwarf Galaxies with "Little Red Dots"-like SEDs in the Local Universe

Local active galactic nuclei (AGNs) in dwarf galaxies are often considered as analogs for the earliest supermassive black holes, although their connections require more comprehensive examinations. Motivated by finding the local analogs of "Little Red Dots" (LRDs), the compact, red galaxies discovered by JWST at z > 5 characterized by "V-shaped" SEDs, we compile a sample of local AGN-hosting dwarf galaxies (ADGs) with comparable luminosities to statistically evaluate this connection. By applying K-means clustering to SED shapes and morphological sizes, we classified four groups which trace a sequence in physical properties, including metallicity, star formation rate, and dust emission, mainly driven by their distinct UV-optical slopes. Within these groups, we find that about half of the ADGs exhibit "V-shaped" SEDs and relatively compact morphologies. However, a direct comparison reveals fundamental physical differences: local "V-shaped", compact ADGs appear significantly more evolved than high-z LRDs, characterized by systematically larger effective radii and distinct ionization states. Our results suggest that local compact ADGs likely follow a different formation pathway from LRDs, highlighting the complexity of black hole-galaxy co-evolution across cosmic time.

astro-ph.GA

Investigating the Impacts of AGN Activities on Dwarf Galaxies with FAST HI Observations

We present the results of Hi line observations towards 26 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN)-hosting and one star-forming dwarf galaxies (Mstar < 10^9.5 Msun) with the 19-beam spectral line receiver of FAST at 1.4 GHz. Our FAST observed targets are combined with other AGN-hosting dwarf galaxies covered in the ALFALFA footprint to form a more comprehensive sample. Utilizing the information from optical surveys, we further divide them into isolated and accompanied subsamples by their vicinity of nearby massive galaxies. We compare the Hi gas abundance and star-forming rate (SFR) between the subsamples to assess the role of internal and external processes that may regulate the gas content in dwarf galaxies. As a result, we find that AGN are more commonly identified in accompanied dwarf galaxies than in their isolated counterparts. Meanwhile, AGN-hosting dwarf galaxies have slightly but significant lower Hi mass fraction relatively to the non-AGN control sample in accompanied dwarf galaxies. On the other hand, we find a decreasing SFR in AGN-hosting dwarf galaxies towards denser environments, as well as an extremely low incidence of quenched isolated dwarfs within both AGN and non-AGN subsamples. These results indicate that although these AGN could potentially regulate the gas reservoir of dwarf galaxies, environmental effects are likely the dominant quenching mechanism in the low-mass universe.

astro-ph.GA

Investigating Little Red Dots with UV Excess: Are They the High-Redshift Siblings of Blue Hot DOGs?

Little Red Dots (LRDs), newly identified compact and dusty galaxies with an unexpectedly high number density observed by JWST, have an unusual "V-shaped" rest-frame UV to near-infrared spectral energy distribution (SED). A group of hyper-luminous, obscured quasars with excess blue emission, called Blue-excess Hot Dust-Obscured Galaxies (BHDs), also exhibit qualitatively similar SEDs to those of LRDs. They represent a rare population of galaxies hosting supermassive black holes (SMBHs) accreting near the Eddington limit at redshifts z \sim 1--4. In this study, we compare their multi-wavelength SEDs to investigate whether LRDs, or a subset of them, could be high-redshift analogs of BHDs. Our analysis reveals that despite their similar "V-shape" SEDs, LRDs appear to be a different population than BHDs. The "V-shape" of BHDs appear at longer wavelengths compared to LRDs due to different selection strategies, suggesting LRDs have much less dust attenuation than typical BHDs. The bluer colors in the rest-frame infrared (continuum) emission of LRDs suggest the absence of hot dust heated by AGN accretion activities. We also argue that the blue excess in LRDs is unlikely from AGN scattered light. The compact morphologies and lower X-ray detection frequencies of LRDs suggest a distinct formation pathway from BHDs -- which are thought to be powered by super-Eddington accretion onto central SMBHs following major galaxy mergers.

astro-ph.GA