Daily Papers

Feedback from active galactic nuclei (AGN) has become established as a fundamental process in the evolution of the most massive galaxies. Its impact on Milky Way (MW)-mass systems, however, remains comparatively unexplored. In this work, we use the Auriga simulations to probe the impact of AGN feedback on the dynamical and structural properties of galaxies, focussing on the bar, bulge, and disc. We analyse three galaxies -- two strongly and one unbarred/weakly barred -- using three setups: (i) the fiducial Auriga model, which includes both radio and quasar mode feedback, (ii) a setup with no radio mode, and (iii) one with neither the radio nor the quasar mode. When removing the radio mode, gas in the circumgalactic medium cools more efficiently and subsequently settles in an extended disc, with little effect on the inner disc. Contrary to previous studies, we find that although the removal of the quasar mode results in more massive central components, these are in the form of compact discs, rather than spheroidal bulges. Therefore, galaxies without quasar mode feedback are more baryon-dominated and thus prone to forming stronger and shorter bars, which reveals an anti-correlation between the ejective nature of AGN feedback and bar strength. Hence, we report that the effect of AGN feedback (i.e. ejective or preventive) can significantly alter the dynamical properties of MW-like galaxies. Therefore, the observed dynamical and structural properties of MW-mass galaxies can be used as additional constraints for calibrating the efficiency of AGN feedback models.

JWST/NIRCam slitless spectroscopy enables dynamical mass measurements for typical star-forming galaxies only a billion years after the Big Bang. We model the Halpha morpho-kinematics of 163 galaxies at redshift zapprox4-6 from FRESCO and CONGRESS (with JADES imaging), using the geko code, and infer rotational velocities and dispersions within r_{rm e}. Our sample spans log M_{star}approx7-10 and log M_{rm dyn}approx9-11. Gas masses are estimated via scaling relations, yielding baryonic masses and dark-matter (DM) fractions f_{rm DM}(r<r_{rm e}) within the Halpha half-light radius. We find high median fractions of langle f_{rm gas}rangle=0.77 and langle f_{rm DM}rangle=0.73, where f_{rm gas} is measured with respect to the baryonic mass and f_{rm DM} with respect to the DM+baryonic mass. About two-thirds of systems are DM-dominated within r_{rm e}sim0.5-1 kpc. Both f_{rm gas} and f_{rm DM} decrease with stellar mass, consistent with simulations. The stellar Tully-Fisher relation shows a tentative offset to higher v_{rm circ} at fixed M_{star} and substantial intrinsic scatter, suggesting that the relation is only beginning to emerge at zsim5. We measure a negative correlation between f_{rm DM} and baryonic surface density Sigma_{rm bar}, weaker but broadly consistent with trends at cosmic noon and at zsim0. Qualitatively comparing with modified NFW profiles coupled to an empirical stellar-to-halo mass relation suggests that the lowest f_{rm DM} (lesssim0.4) require cored inner DM profiles, while the highest fractions favour cuspier profiles, potentially reflecting adiabatic contraction. Overall, the elevated f_{rm gas} and f_{rm DM} at zgtrsim4 are compatible with progenitors of baryon-dominated systems at zsim2 and naturally anticipate overmassive black holes at fixed M_{star}.