VLBI Studies of DAGN and SMBHB Hosting Galaxies

Dual active galactic nuclei and supermassive black hole binaries at kiloparsec and parsec-scale separations, respectively, are expected during stages of galaxy merger and evolution. Their observational identification can address a range of areas of current astrophysics frontiers including the final parsec problem and their contribution toward the emission of low-frequency gravitational waves. This has however been difficult to achieve with current spectroscopy and time domain strategies. Very long baseline interferometry as a method of directly imaging radio structures with milli-arcsecond and submilli-arcsecond resolutions is introduced as a possible means of detecting dual active galactic nuclei and supermassive black hole binaries. We motivate its usage with expected observational signatures and cite some studies from literature to illustrate its current status and present an updated list of candidates imaged with high-resolution radio observations. We then recall some shortcomings of the method with possible solutions and discuss future directions, relevant to large surveys with the upcoming Square Kilometer Array and future space very long baseline interferometry missions.