The `Great Debate': The Case for AGNs

Abstract

We summarize the evidence from multiwavelength observations that the dominant power source in the majority of ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIGs) may be an active galactic nucleus (AGN). In the broader context of the debate, we also show that: 1. ULIGs are indeed a key stage in the transformation of merging gas-rich disks into ellipticals, 2. ULIGs are plausibly the precursors of quasi-stellar objects (QSOs), and 3. ULIGs do appear to be local templates of the high luminosity tail of major gas-rich mergers at z ~ 1-4.