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Seminars

Coevolution of Supermassive Black Holes and Galaxies

Speaker Dr. Luis C. Ho
Affiliation Carnegie Observatories
Date February 18, 2013 (Mon)
Time 4:30 p.m.
Venue Room 522, 5/F, Chong Yuet Ming Physics Building, HKU

Abstract

Supermassive black holes (BHs) have been found in 87 galaxies by dynamical modeling of spatially resolved kinematics. The Hubble Space Telescope revolutionized BH research by advancing the subject from its proof-of-concept phase into quantitative studies of BH demographics. Most influential was the discovery of a tight correlation between BH mass and velocity dispersion of the bulge component of the host galaxy. Together with similar correlations with bulge luminosity and mass, this led to the widespread belief that BHs and bulges coevolve by regulating each other's growth. I present a major update to the status of this field. I will discuss (1) how BH mass correlates tightly only with classical bulges and ellipticals, (2) how the zero point and slopes of the fundamental correlations need to be revised, (3) problems with radio-mode feedback as a key process to regulate the evolution of massive galaxies, (4) quasar-mode feedback at high redshifts, and (5) the evolution (or lack thereof) with time of the BH-host galaxy scaling relations.

Coffee and tea will be served 20 minutes prior to the seminar.