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Bolometric luminosity black hole growth time and slim accretion discs in active galactic nuclei
- Source :
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Publication Year :
- 2013
- Publisher :
- Oxford University Press (OUP), 2013.
-
Abstract
- We investigate the accretion rate, bolometric luminosity, black hole (BH) growth time and BH spin in a large AGN sample under the assumption that all such objects are powered via thin or slim accretion discs (ADs). We use direct estimates of the mass accretion rate, Mdot, to show that many currently used values of Lbol and Ledd are either under estimated or over estimated because they are based on bolometric correction factors that are adjusted to the properties of moderately accreting active galactic nuclei (AGN) and do not take into account the correct combination of BH mass, spin and accretion rate. The consistent application of AD physics to our sample of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) AGN leads to the following findings: 1. Even the most conservative assumption about the radiative efficiency of fast accreting BHs shows that many of these sources must contain slim ADs. We illustrate this by estimating the fraction of such objects at various redshifts. 2. Many previously estimated BH growth times are inconsistent with the AD theory. In particular, the growth times of the fastest accreting BHs were over estimated in the past by large factors with important consequences to AGN evolution. 3. Currently used bolometric correction factors for low accretion rate very massive SDSS BHs, are inconsistent with the AD theory. Applying the AD set of assumptions to such objects, combined with standard photoionization calculations of broad emission lines, leads to the conclusion that many such objects must contain fast spinning BHs.<br />5 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS
- Subjects :
- Active galactic nucleus
Astrophysics::High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
media_common.quotation_subject
FOS: Physical sciences
Astrophysics::Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
Astrophysics
Photoionization
01 natural sciences
law.invention
law
0103 physical sciences
Bolometric correction
Astrophysics::Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Emission spectrum
010306 general physics
010303 astronomy & astrophysics
Astrophysics::Galaxy Astrophysics
media_common
Physics
Bolometer
Astronomy
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies
Redshift
Accretion (astrophysics)
Space and Planetary Science
Sky
Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13652966 and 00358711
- Volume :
- 438
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....6cc22fb1e557b632f26b37348d9786c3