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Linking macro-, meso- and microscales in multiphase AGN feeding and feedback

Black hole feeding and feedback are often studied disjointly in both observations and simulations. We encourage the adoption of three physically motivated scales, linking them in a tight multiphase self-regulated loop. We pinpoint the key open questions of this unification problem and advocate for a multiwavelength, multiscale and interdisciplinary community.

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Fig. 1: Diagram of the self-regulated multiphase AGN feeding and feedback cycle.

Top left, reproduced from ref. 21, AAS; top middle, reproduced from ref. 29, Wiley; top right, NASA, ESA, NRAO and L. Frattare (STScI); middle left, Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration; bottom left, middle and right, reproduced from ref. 25, Oxford Univ. Press.

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Acknowledgements

M.G. is supported by the Lyman Spitzer Jr Fellowship (Princeton University) and by NASA Chandra grants GO7-18121X, GO8-19104X, GO9-20114X, and NASA HST grant GO-15890.020-A. F.T. acknowledges support by the ‘Programma per Giovani Ricercatori – Rita Levi Montalcini’ (2014). We are grateful to all the participants of the ‘Multiphase AGN Feeding & Feedback’ workshop (held at the Sexten Center for Astrophysics (SCfA) in Sesto, Italy; http://www.sexten-cfa.eu/event/multiphase-agn-feeding-feedback) for stimulating presentations that inspired part of this work.

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Gaspari, M., Tombesi, F. & Cappi, M. Linking macro-, meso- and microscales in multiphase AGN feeding and feedback. Nat Astron 4, 10–13 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-019-0970-1

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