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NRAO/Socorro Colloquium Series

Tim Heckman

John Hopkins University

The Co-Evolution of Galaxies and Black Holes: A Local Perspective


I will summarize our current understanding on the relation between the evolution of black holes and galaxies in the local universe. I will show that the growth of supermassive black holes as traced by optically luminous active galactic nuclei is strongly linked to the on-going formation of stars in the bulge component of galaxies. It is likely that this co-evolution is driven by the accretion and radial transport of cold gas, but major mergers of galaxies are not the primary mechanism for doing this. I will show that the fuel source for the black hole growth may be mass loss from intermediate mass stars and that the black hole growth may be limited in part by feedback from supernovae. I will also show that the characteristic mass scales for the populations of growing black holes and bulges are
substantially lower now than in the past. The most massive black holes are largely quiescent today with low-level activity driven by the slow accretion of hot gas. The weak radio jets such black holes commonly produce may nonetheless may play a key role in suppressing star formation, keeping their surrounding host galaxy"red and dead".



November 2, 2012
11:00 am

Array Operations Center Auditorium

All NRAO employees are invited to attend via video, available in Charlottesville Room 230, Green Bank Room 137 and Tucson N525.

Local Host: Chris Carilli

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