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A Unified Model for the Evolution of Galaxies and Quasars

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arxiv astro-ph/9906493 v1 pith:6NAVMJ5E submitted 1999-06-30 astro-ph

A Unified Model for the Evolution of Galaxies and Quasars

classification astro-ph
keywords galaxiesblackevolutionholesquasarscoldsupermassivedecline
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal T4 reserved
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We incorporate a simple scheme for the growth of supermassive black holes into semi-analytic models that follow the formation and evolution of galaxies in a cold dark matter dominated Universe. We assume that supermassive black holes are formed and fuelled during major mergers. If two galaxies of comparable mass merge, their central black holes coalesce and a few percent of the gas in the merger remnant is accreted by the new black hole over a timescale of a few times 10^7 years. With these simple assumptions, our model not only fits many aspects of the observed evolution of galaxies, but also reproduces quantitatively the observed relation between bulge luminosity and black hole mass in nearby galaxies, the strong evolution of the quasar population with redshift and the relation between the luminosities of nearby quasars and those of their host galaxies. The strong decline in the number density of quasars from z=2 to z=0 is due to the combination of three effects: i) a decrease in the merging rate, ii) a decrease in the amount of cold gas available to fuel black holes, and iii) an increase in the timescale for gas accretion. In a LCDM cosmology the predicted decline in the total content of cold gas in galaxies is consistent with that inferred from observations of damped Lyman-alpha systems. Our results strongly suggest that the evolution of supermassive black holes, quasars and starbursts is inextricably linked to the hierarchical build-up of galaxies.

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Cited by 2 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score.

  1. Clustering of high-redshift quasars with DESI DR2

    astro-ph.CO 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 7.0

    DESI DR2 quasar sample yields bias b_Q(z=2.48)=3.61 that evolves as b(z)=0.230[(1+z)^2-6.565]+2.394, consistent with constant ~10^12 M_sun halo mass and weak luminosity dependence at fixed redshift.

  2. Non-Equilibrium Relativistic Core Collapse of Self-Interacting Dark Matter Halos -- Limits On Seed Black Hole Mass

    astro-ph.CO 2026-01 unverdicted novelty 7.0

    Non-equilibrium relativistic SIDM halo collapse produces seed black holes of mass ~3e-8 of the halo mass at apparent horizon formation.