The Relation between AGN and Host Galaxy Properties in the JWST Era. II. The Merger-driven Evolution of Seyferts at Cosmic Noon

Abstract In Paper I, we exploited the unsurpassed resolution and depth of JWST/NIRCam imagery to investigate the relationship between active galactic nuclei (AGN) and host-galaxy properties in the JWST era, finding a correlation between the level of spatial disturbance (as measured by shape asymmetry, A S ) and obscuration ( N H ). Here in Paper II, we report an expansion of our X-ray and infrared analysis of Seyfert-luminosity host galaxies with four additional metrics to the single-metric morphology analysis of Paper I, as well as new samples of inactive control galaxies. This expanded study of one of the largest and most complete, multiwavelength samples of AGN detected at 0.6 < z < 3.8 in the GOODS-South and -North fields, confirms that mergers surprisingly play a significant role in obscured, subquasar AGN host galaxies. Additionally, the pattern of morphological disturbances observed amongst the X-ray- and mid-IR-selected AGN suggests that these represent different phases of AGN evolution tied to a major-merger timeline, as opposed to distinct populations of AGN. These results indicate that mergers are important in triggering subquasar AGN at these redshifts.