Journal article
Early Stages of Dusty Tori: The First Infrared Spectra from a Highly Multiscale Quasar Simulation
The Astrophysical journal, v 997(1), 10
12 Jan 2026
Featured in Collection : Drexel's Newest Publications
Abstract
We present the first infrared (IR) spectral predictions from a self-consistent simulation of the formation of a quasar in a starburst galaxy, spanning the cosmological environment to scales well below the dust sublimation region. The IR emission is dominated by a torus-like dust structure composed of a highly magnetized, turbulence-supported outer accretion disk and of accreting gas tidally torn from the interstellar medium (ISM). At these early stages, the active galactic nucleus is buried and Compton thick. The near- to mid-IR escaping luminosity varies by almost an order of magnitude across sight lines, largely due to extinction from the inflowing stream of cold dust. Self-absorption within the torus suppresses silicate emission features, and further reprocessing by the ambient ISM leads to prominent silicate absorption and colder IR emission. The sublimation structure is stratified by composition and size, producing sight-line-dependent extinction curves that intrinsically vary in shape. However, after repeated scattering in the optically thick dusty medium, these curves emerge substantially grayed. We also demonstrate that bipolar outflows from the central black hole, which carves biconical cavities and reveals the central engine in later stages, can preserve IR anisotropy and silicate features. These results suggest that dusty starburst quasars can undergo a buried, IR-bright phase early in their evolution.
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Details
- Title
- Early Stages of Dusty Tori: The First Infrared Spectra from a Highly Multiscale Quasar Simulation
- Creators
- Jaeden Bardati (Corresponding Author) - California Institute of TechnologyPhilip F. Hopkins - California Institute of TechnologyGordon T. Richards - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal, v 997(1), 10
- Publisher
- Institute of Physics
- Number of pages
- 16
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Physics
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001659809000001
- Other Identifier
- 991022155330104721