Aird, JamesJamesAirdCOMASTRI, AndreaAndreaCOMASTRITopical Panel 2. 12020-03-312020-03-312015http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/23771Understanding how supermassive black holes (BHs) form and grow in the very early (z>6) Universe, when the first stars and galaxies were forming, is one of the major science aims of the Athena mission. The physical processes responsible for the initial formation of these BHs and their early growth via accretion - when they are seen as Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) - remain unclear. Large-scale optical/near-infrared imaging surveys have identified a few tens of luminous AGNs at z>6, powered by extremely massive BHs, and place vital constraints on the range of possible formation and growth mechanisms. To make further progress, however, we must identify lower luminosity and obscured AGNs at z>6, which represent the bulk of early BH growth. I will discuss recent measurements that trace the evolution of AGN population out to the highest possible redshifts (z~5-6) using the latest X-ray surveys with Chandra and XMM-Newton. However, Athena will provide the superb sensitivity over a wide field-of-view that is required to identify the earliest (z>6) growing BHs, trace their evolution within the early galaxy population, and determine the physical mechanisms that drive their formation and growth. Achieving these aims represents a major challenge that will push the capabilities of both Athena and supporting ground- and space-based observatories. I will present the prospects for a large Athena survey programme and discuss both the technical and scientific challenges that must be addressed in preparation for the Athena mission. <P />ELETTRONICOenConference paperhttps://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/conferences-archive/athena-2015https://www.cosmos.esa.int/documents/946106/1024226/JAird_t.pdf2015eheu.conf...24AFIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICAScienze Fisiche Settori ERC (ERC) di riferimento::PE9 Universe sciences: astro-physics/chemistry/biology; solar systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation