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Observational selection effects and the M-sigma relation
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics · Submitted 6 Jun 2011
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim We find that this hypothesis can be rejected at a high confidence level, at least for the early-type galaxies with relatively high velocity dispersions (median 268 km/s) that comprise most of our sample.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
We examine the possibility that the observed relation between black-hole mass and host-galaxy stellar velocity dispersion (the M-sigma relation) is biased by an observational selection effect, the difficulty of detecting a black hole whose sphere of influence is smaller than the telescope resolution. In particular, we critically investigate recent claims that the M-sigma relation only represents the upper limit to a broad distribution of black-hole masses in galaxies of a given velocity dispersion. We find that this hypothesis can be rejected at a high confidence level, at least for the early-type galaxies with relatively high velocity dispersions (median 268 km/s) that comprise most of our sample. We also describe a general procedure for incorporating observational selection effects in estimates of the properties of the M-sigma relation. Applying this procedure we find results that are consistent with earlier estimates that did not account for selection effects, although with larger error bars. In particular, (i) the width of the M-sigma relation is not significantly increased; (ii) the slope and normalization of the M-sigma relation are not significantly changed; (iii) most or all luminous early-type galaxies contain central black holes at zero redshift. Our results may not apply to late-type or small galaxies, which are not well-represented in our sample.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | We examine the possibility that the observed relation between black-hole mass and host-galaxy stellar velocity dispersion (the M-sigma relation) is biased by an observational selection effect, the difficulty of detecting a black hole whose sphere of influence is smaller than the telescope resolution. | contribution 0.56 | 0.26 | 0.05 | hedged possibility 0.95 |
| s1 | In particular, we critically investigate recent claims that the M-sigma relation only represents the upper limit to a broad distribution of black-hole masses in galaxies of a given velocity dispersion. | contribution 0.58 | 0.35 | 0.03 | unclear 0.49 |
| s2 | We find that this hypothesis can be rejected at a high confidence level, at least for the early-type galaxies with relatively high velocity dispersions (median 268 km/s) that comprise most of our sample. | result 1.00 | 0.97 | 0.60 | asserted 1.00 |
| s3 | We also describe a general procedure for incorporating observational selection effects in estimates of the properties of the M-sigma relation. | method 0.74 | 0.92 | 0.05 | asserted 0.99 |
| s4 | Applying this procedure we find results that are consistent with earlier estimates that did not account for selection effects, although with larger error bars. | result 0.99 | 0.95 | 0.14 | asserted 0.81 |
| s5 | In particular, (i) the width of the M-sigma relation is not significantly increased; (ii) the slope and normalization of the M-sigma relation are not significantly changed; (iii) most or all luminous early-type galaxies contain central black holes at zero redshift. | result 0.99 | 0.94 | 0.57 | asserted 0.97 |
| s6 | Our results may not apply to late-type or small galaxies, which are not well-represented in our sample. | limitation 1.00 | 0.46 | 0.03 | hedged possibility 1.00 |
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The paper
Original abstract
We examine the possibility that the observed relation between black-hole mass and host-galaxy stellar velocity dispersion (the M-sigma relation) is biased by an observational selection effect, the difficulty of detecting a black hole whose sphere of influence is smaller than the telescope resolution. In particular, we critically investigate recent claims that the M-sigma relation only represents the upper limit to a broad distribution of black-hole masses in galaxies of a given velocity dispersion. We find that this hypothesis can be rejected at a high confidence level, at least for the early-type galaxies with relatively high velocity dispersions (median 268 km/s) that comprise most of our sample. We also describe a general procedure for incorporating observational selection effects in estimates of the properties of the M-sigma relation. Applying this procedure we find results that are consistent with earlier estimates that did not account for selection effects, although with larger error bars. In particular, (i) the width of the M-sigma relation is not significantly increased; (ii) the slope and normalization of the M-sigma relation are not significantly changed; (iii) most or all luminous early-type galaxies contain central black holes at zero redshift. Our results may not apply to late-type or small galaxies, which are not well-represented in our sample.
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1 arXiv paper cite this in 1 sentence
What it cites
Uses data or values from 1 paper
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(1) [ref] , (2) [ref] , (3) [ref] , (4) [ref] and [ref] , (5) [ref] , (6) [ref] , (7) [ref] , (8) [ref] , (9) [ref] , (10) [ref] , (11) [ref] , (12) [ref] , (13) [ref] , (14) [ref] , (15) [ref] , (16) [ref] , (17) [ref] , (18) [ref] , (19) [ref] , (20) [ref] . color=[rgb]0,0,0.54 [ rellevel=1, keeplevel, dest=table.t:gallist ]Table <ref>t:gallist: Top 50 galaxies by predicted angular sphere of influence color=[rgb]0,0,0
The Black-Hole Mass in M87 from Gemini/NIFS Adaptive Optics Observations · Tests of the upper-envelope model · 0.87
Compares with 1 paper
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These uncertainties could be reduced by (i) searching carefully for black holes in all of the high-ranked galaxies in Table [ref] using HST or ground-based adaptive optics; (ii) generalizing the analysis to include the black holes in the Milky Way and those in maser galaxies [ref] —of course, a danger in the second step is that the relation may depend on galaxy morphology.
Precise Black Hole Masses From Megamaser Disks: Black Hole-Bulge Relations at Low Mass · Discussion and Conclusions · 0.92
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