The origin and evolution of galaxies are closely linked to many different physical phenomena. Among them, the most important one is the environment they reside in. Isolated and cluster member... Show moreThe origin and evolution of galaxies are closely linked to many different physical phenomena. Among them, the most important one is the environment they reside in. Isolated and cluster member galaxies indeed are affected by different forces which affect their evolution. The main concern of this thesis is to understand such forces and how they are related to galaxy evolution. Therefore, this thesis covers various topics including black hole mass calculations, the black hole mass-stellar velocity dispersion relation, the nature of AGN emission in galaxy clusters and field galaxies, a detailed investigation of X-ray and optical galaxy overdensity phenomenon, and the dynamical processes in pre-merging galaxy clusters. Show less
In recent years, winds were recognized as an important ingredient in the AGN picture. Outflows of photoionized gas, which produce blueshifted absorption features detectable in the X-ray and in the... Show moreIn recent years, winds were recognized as an important ingredient in the AGN picture. Outflows of photoionized gas, which produce blueshifted absorption features detectable in the X-ray and in the UV band, are present in about 50% of Seyfert 1 galaxies. Combining observations at high spectral resolution with photoionization modeling techniques, the kinetics, and the ionization conditions of the outflowing gas can be diagnosed with high accuracy. In this thesis, we applied these methods to three cases of study, obtaining a variety of results. In the X-ray spectrum of the Seyfert 1 galaxy 1H 0419-577, we detected the absorption lines from a galactic scale outflow already observed in the UV. In the case of the prototypical type 1 AGN NGC 5548, we discovered a lowly-ionized, patchy wind located in the nuclear region. We show that the emergence of this obscuring wind have drastically changed the spectral appearance of the source in the soft X-ray and in the UV band. Finally, we characterized a photoionized gas outflow in 4C +74.26, which is one of the few radio-loud AGN in which signatures of photoionized gas could be detected. Show less
Radio observations provide a unique view of black holes in the Universe. This thesis presents low frequency radio images and uses the radio sources in those images to study the evolution of black... Show moreRadio observations provide a unique view of black holes in the Universe. This thesis presents low frequency radio images and uses the radio sources in those images to study the evolution of black holes and galaxies through the age of the Universe. Show less
