The Impact of Seyfert Jets on Galaxy Evolution across Major Scaling Relations

We analyze a suite of high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations of jetted Seyfert galaxies over z < ∼10 projected on the major scaling relations, comparing trajectories of “normal” versus jet-hosting galaxies. Models include thermal and mechanical jet feedback launched from supermassive black holes (SMBHs) seeded at z ∼ 9.1 and z ∼ 3.7 with M_• ∼ 10⁶ M_⊙ in galaxies within dark matter halos of (Formula presented) logMhalo/M⊙∼11.8 at z = 0. A single parameter, the SMBH accretion efficiency, has been varied, resulting in L_jet ∼ 10⁴⁰⁻⁴² erg s⁻¹, and SMBH accretion rates range between ∼0.2 and 10⁻⁴ of the Eddington rate. We find that jet feedback (1) suppresses central star formation rates (SFRs), redistributes gas to larger radii, (2) generates long-lived expanding shocks that couple to the interstellar medium and circumgalactic medium (CGM), (3) reduces stellar mass (M_*), shifting galaxies toward lower central concentrations, and (4) alters host trajectories on the M_halo–M_*, specific SFR−M_*, M_•–σ_bulge, mass–metallicity, Kennicutt–Schmidt, and baryonic Tully–Fisher relation planes. Specifically, we find that jetted Seyferts live longer in the green valley and more frequently move to the quenched region in comparison to the nonjetted galaxies. Despite producing only transient quenching, Seyfert jets cause persistent structural, kinematic, and chemical signatures, including flatter rotation curves, elevated CGM metallicities, and reduced cold gas clumping. (5) Early SMBH seeding and stronger jets amplify these effects, yielding galaxies that lie systematically closer to some of the empirical relations, e.g., M_halo–M_*, while showing offsets for others, e.g., Kennicutt–Schmidt, and demonstrating that low-luminosity Seyfert jets can exert a significant long-term influence on galaxy evolution.