AGN and Galaxy evolution from Deep X-ray surveys

Abstract

Deep X-ray surveys are providing crucial information on the evolution of AGN and galaxies. We review some of the latest results based on the X-ray spectral analysis of the sources detected in the Chandra Deep Field South, namely: i) constraints on obscured accretion; ii) constraints on the missing fraction of the X-ray background; iii) the redshift distribution of Compton-thick sources and TypeII QSO; iv) the detection of star formation activity in high-z galaxies through stacking techniques; v) the detection of large scale structure in the AGN distribution and its effect on nuclear activity. Such observational findings are consistent with a scenario where nuclear activity and star formation processes develop together in an anti-hierarchical fashion.

8 pages, 10 Figures, to be published in Mem SAIt, Proceedings of the Workshop on "AGN and Galaxy Evolution", held in the Specola Vaticana, Castel Gandolfo, Italy - October 2005