Empirical Tests of Galactic Black Hole Growth

这个项目是对星系核黑洞的增长和结构形成之间关系的实证研究，从创建一个100万个类星体黑洞的质量目录开始。这是可能的，因为宽发射线区域的大小与中心光源的亮度之间的经验标度关系允许基于单历元光谱测量的质量估计。该目录将首先用于研究黑洞的聚集及其与宿主星系的共同演化。关系，特别是其中的任何系统偏差，将以前所未有的统计显著性进行分析，允许测试可能的进化效应和其他参数依赖性。一旦有了精确的质量估计，也可以计算出放热光度、吸积率和生长时间尺度。这项研究将为黑洞形成的环境和黑洞与宿主星系共生的历史提供重要线索。更广泛的影响是多方面的，无论是对天体物理学社区还是对教育推广，包括现成的、增值的数据产品，以及研究生和本科生的重大参与。

AST-0507647VogeleyThis project is an empirical study of the relationship between the growth of galactic nuclear black holes and structure formation, starting with the creation of a catalog of masses for a million quasar black holes. This is possible because an empirical scaling relationship between the size of the broad emission line region and the luminosity of the central source permits virial mass estimates based on single-epoch spectral measurements. The catalog will first be used to study the assembly of black holes and their co-evolution with their host galaxies. Relationships, and especially any systematic biases in them, will be analyzed at a statistical significance never before achieved, allowing testing for possible evolutionary effects and other parameter dependences. Once accurate mass estimates exist, bolometric luminosities, accretion rates, and growth time scales can also be calculated. This study will provide important clues to the environment of black hole formation and the history of the black hole - host galaxy symbiosis.Broader impacts are manifold, both for the astrophysics community and for educational outreach, including readily available, value-added data products, and significant involvement of graduate and undergraduate students.