scholarly journals Correlations between supermassive black holes and hot gas atmospheres in IllustrisTNG and X-ray observations

2020 ◽  
Vol 501 (2) ◽  
pp. 2210-2230
Author(s):  
Nhut Truong ◽  
Annalisa Pillepich ◽  
Norbert Werner

ABSTRACT Recent X-ray observations have revealed remarkable correlations between the masses of central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and the X-ray properties of the hot atmospheres permeating their host galaxies, thereby indicating the crucial role of the atmospheric gas in tracing SMBH growth in the high-mass regime. We examine this topic theoretically using the IllustrisTNG cosmological simulations and provide insights to the nature of this SMBH – gaseous halo connection. By carrying out a mock X-ray analysis for a mass-selected sample of TNG100 simulated galaxies at $z$ = 0, we inspect the relationship between the masses of SMBHs and the hot gas temperatures and luminosities at various spatial and halo scales – from galactic (∼Re) to group/cluster scales (∼R500c). We find strong SMBH-X-ray correlations mostly in quenched galaxies and find that the correlations become stronger and tighter at larger radii. Critically, the X-ray temperature (kBTX) at large radii (r ≳ 5Re) traces the SMBH mass with a remarkably small scatter (∼0.2 dex). The relations emerging from IllustrisTNG are broadly consistent with those obtained from recent X-ray observations. Overall, our analysis suggests that, within the framework of IllustrisTNG, the present-time MBH–kBTX correlations at the high-mass end (MBH ≳ 108M⊙) are fundamentally a reflection of the SMBH mass–halo mass relation, which at such high masses is set by the hierarchical assembly of structures. The exact form, locus, and scatter of those scaling relations are, however, sensitive to feedback processes such as those driven by star formation and SMBH activity.

1999 ◽  
Vol 193 ◽  
pp. 703-715
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Heckman

I review the evidence for a possible connection between AGN and starbursts and assess the energetic role of massive stars in the AGN phenomenon. My particular focus is on UV spectroscopy, since this is the energetically dominant spectral regime for the hot high-mass stars that power starbursts, and contains a wealth of spectral features for diagnosing the presence of such stars. I also review the non-stellar sources of UV line and continuum emission in AGN, including scattered or reprocessed light from the ‘central engine’. Spectroscopy directly shows that hot stars provide most of the UV light in about half of the brightest type 2 Seyfert nuclei and UV-bright LINERS. The population of hot stars in these AGN is typically heavily extinct and reddened by dust with A(1600Å) ≃ 2–4 mag. The implied intrinsic UV luminosities of the starburst range from 108 to 109 L⊙ in the LINERS to 1010 to 1011 L⊙ in the type 2 Seyferts. Massive stars play an energetically significant role in many AGN, but the causal or evolution connection between starbursts and AGN is unclear. I also consider the energetics of massive stars and accreting supermassive black holes from a global, cosmic perspective. Recent inventories in the local universe of the cumulative effect of nuclear burning (metal production) and of AGN-fueling (compact dark objects in galactic nuclei) imply that accretion onto supermassive black holes may have produced as much radiant energy as massive stars over the history of the universe.


2000 ◽  
Vol 195 ◽  
pp. 207-208
Author(s):  
W. N. Brandt

X-ray studies of ultrasoft narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies are revealing surprising new phenomena that are expanding our understanding of Seyfert activity, and they may well allow us to observe the effects of high mass accretion rates onto supermassive black holes. I briefly review the basic properties of these galaxies, their importance in a general context, and the prospects for studying them further in the future.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Erwin ◽  
Dimitri Alexei Gadotti

Studies have suggested that there is a strong correlation between the masses of nuclear star clusters (NSCs) and their host galaxies, a correlation which is said to be an extension of the well-known correlations between supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and their host galaxies. But careful analysis of disk galaxies—including 2D bulge/disk/bar decompositions—shows that while SMBHs correlate with the stellar mass of thebulgecomponent of galaxies, the masses of NSCs correlate much better with thetotalgalaxy stellar mass. In addition, the mass ratioMNSC/M⋆, totfor NSCs in spirals (at least those with Hubble types Sc and later) is typically an order of magnitude smaller than the mass ratioMBH/M⋆, bulof SMBHs. The absence of a universal “central massive object” correlation argues against common formation and growth mechanisms for both SMBHs and NSCs. We also discuss evidence for a break in the NSC-host galaxy correlation, galaxies with Hubble types earlier than Sbc appear to host systematically more massive NSCs than do types Sc and later.


2020 ◽  
Vol 639 ◽  
pp. A30
Author(s):  
Persis Misquitta ◽  
Micah Bowles ◽  
Andreas Eckart ◽  
Madeleine Yttergren ◽  
Gerold Busch ◽  
...  

We present the properties of the central supermassive black holes and the host galaxies of the interacting object SDSS J134420.86+663717.8. We obtained optical long slit spectroscopy data from the Large Binocular Telescope using the Multi Object Double Spectrograph. Analysing the spectra revealed several strong broad and narrow emission lines of ionised gas in the nuclear region of one galaxy, whereas only narrow emission lines were visible for the second galaxy. The optical spectra were used to plot diagnostic diagrams, deduce rotation curves of the two galaxies, and calculate the masses of the central supermassive black holes. We find that the galaxy with broad emission line features has Seyfert 1 properties, while the galaxy with only narrow emission line features seems to be star-forming in nature. Furthermore, we find that the masses of the central supermassive black holes are almost equal at a few times 107 M⊙. Additionally, we present a simple N-body simulation to shed some light on the initial conditions of the progenitor galaxies. We find that for an almost orthogonal approach of the two interacting galaxies, the model resembles the optical image of the system.


2000 ◽  
Vol 174 ◽  
pp. 74-80
Author(s):  
Paul Goudfrooij

AbstractThe properties of dust in giant elliptical galaxies are reviewed, with particular emphasis on the influence of the environment.After normalizing by the optical luminosities, a strong anticorrelation between the masses of dust and hot gas in X-ray bright ellipticals is found. Furthermore, large-scale, regularly-shaped dust lanes (which are symmetric with respect to the galaxy nucleus) are only found to be present in ellipticals with the lowest ratios of the mass of hot gas to the blue luminosity (Mhot/LB ≲ 0.04 in solar units). This can be explained by the short time scale for the destruction of dust grains within the hot, X-ray- emitting gas compared to the formation timescale of such dust lanes in early-type galaxies.Dust within ellipticals in “loose” environments (i.e. in the field or in loose groups) is typically characterized by small values of RV ≡ AV/EB−V (i-e. small characteristic grain sizes), and distributed in dust lanes with a smooth, relaxed morphology. On the other hand, dust in ellipticals that are in or near the center of dense groups or clusters is typically much more irregularly distributed, and characterized by RV values that are close to the Galactic one.I predict that ellipticals containing “relaxed” dust lanes with typical dust masses of 106 − 107M⊙ do not contain hot, X-ray-emitting gas.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S359) ◽  
pp. 99-107
Author(s):  
C. Jones ◽  
W. Forman

AbstractSupermassive black holes (SMBHs) play[-105pt]Kindly check and confirm the Article Title. fundamental roles in the evolution of galaxies, groups, and clusters. The fossil record of supermassive black hole outbursts is seen through the cavities and shocks that are imprinted on these gas-rich systems. For M87, the central galaxy in the Virgo cluster, deep Chandra observations illustrate the physics of AGN feedback in hot, gas-rich atmospheres and allow measurements of the age, duration, and power of the outburst from the supermassive black hole in M87 that produced the observed cavities and shocks in the hot X-ray atmosphere.


2019 ◽  
Vol 488 (1) ◽  
pp. L134-L142 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Lakhchaura ◽  
N Truong ◽  
N Werner

ABSTRACT We present a study of relations between the masses of the central supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and the atmospheric gas temperatures and luminosities measured within a range of radii between Re and 5Re, for a sample of 47 early-type galaxies observed by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. We report the discovery of a tight correlation between the atmospheric temperatures of the brightest cluster/group galaxies (BCGs) and their central SMBH masses. Furthermore, our hydrostatic analysis reveals an approximately linear correlation between the total masses of BCGs (Mtot) and their central SMBH masses (MBH). State-of-the-art cosmological simulations show that the SMBH mass could be determined by the binding energy of the halo through radiative feedback during the rapid black hole growth by accretion, while for the most massive galaxies mergers are the chief channel of growth. In the scenario of a simultaneous growth of central SMBHs and their host galaxies through mergers, the observed linear correlation could be a natural consequence of the central limit theorem.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S356) ◽  
pp. 261-275
Author(s):  
Benny Trakhtenbrot

AbstractI review the current understanding of some key properties of the earliest growing supermassive black holes (SMBHs), as determined from the most up-to-date observations of z ≲ 5 quasars. This includes their accretion rates and growth history, their host galaxies, and the large-scale environments that enabled their emergence less than a billion years after the Big Bang. The available multi-wavelength data show that these SMBHs are consistent with Eddington-limited, radiatively efficient accretion that had to proceed almost continuously since very early epochs. ALMA observations of the hosts’ ISM reveal gas-rich, well developed galaxies, with a wide range of SFRs that may exceed ∼1000 Mȯyr−1. Moreover, ALMA uncovers a high fraction of companion, interacting galaxies, separated by < 100 kpc (projected). This supports the idea that the first generation of high-mass, luminous SMBHs grew in over-dense environments, and that major mergers may be important drivers for rapid SMBH and host galaxy growth. Current X-ray surveys cannot access the lower-mass, supposedly more abundant counterparts of these rare z ≳ 5 massive quasars, which should be able to elucidate the earliest stages of BH formation and growth. Such lower-mass nuclear BHs will be the prime targets of the deepest surveys planned for the next generation of facilities, such as the upcoming Athena mission and the future Lynx mission concept.


2021 ◽  
Vol 503 (3) ◽  
pp. 3629-3642
Author(s):  
Colin DeGraf ◽  
Debora Sijacki ◽  
Tiziana Di Matteo ◽  
Kelly Holley-Bockelmann ◽  
Greg Snyder ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT With projects such as Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and Pulsar Timing Arrays (PTAs) expected to detect gravitational waves from supermassive black hole mergers in the near future, it is key that we understand what we expect those detections to be, and maximize what we can learn from them. To address this, we study the mergers of supermassive black holes in the Illustris simulation, the overall rate of mergers, and the correlation between merging black holes and their host galaxies. We find these mergers occur in typical galaxies along the MBH−M* relation, and that between LISA and PTAs we expect to probe the full range of galaxy masses. As galaxy mergers can trigger star formation, we find that galaxies hosting low-mass black hole mergers tend to show a slight increase in star formation rates compared to a mass-matched sample. However, high-mass merger hosts have typical star formation rates, due to a combination of low gas fractions and powerful active galactic nucleus feedback. Although minor black hole mergers do not correlate with disturbed morphologies, major mergers (especially at high-masses) tend to show morphological evidence of recent galaxy mergers which survive for ∼500 Myr. This is on the same scale as the infall/hardening time of merging black holes, suggesting that electromagnetic follow-ups to gravitational wave signals may not be able to observe this correlation. We further find that incorporating a realistic time-scale delay for the black hole mergers could shift the merger distribution towards higher masses, decreasing the rate of LISA detections while increasing the rate of PTA detections.


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (S356) ◽  
pp. 143-143
Author(s):  
Jaya Maithil ◽  
Michael S. Brotherton ◽  
Bin Luo ◽  
Ohad Shemmer ◽  
Sarah C. Gallagher ◽  
...  

AbstractActive Galactic Nuclei (AGN) exhibit multi-wavelength properties that are representative of the underlying physical processes taking place in the vicinity of the accreting supermassive black hole. The black hole mass and the accretion rate are fundamental for understanding the growth of black holes, their evolution, and the impact on the host galaxies. Recent results on reverberation-mapped AGNs show that the highest accretion rate objects have systematic shorter time-lags. These super-Eddington accreting massive black holes (SEAMBHs) show BLR size 3-8 times smaller than predicted by the Radius-Luminosity (R-L) relationship. Hence, the single-epoch virial black hole mass estimates of highly accreting AGNs have an overestimation of a factor of 3-8 times. SEAMBHs likely have a slim accretion disk rather than a thin disk that is diagnostic in X-ray. I will present the extreme X-ray properties of a sample of dozen of SEAMBHs. They indeed have a steep hard X-ray photon index, Γ, and demonstrate a steeper power-law slope, ασx.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document