Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations
Jackson DeBuhr, Eliot Quataert, Chung Pei Ma, Philip Hopkins
We perform hydrodynamical simulations of major galaxy mergers using new methods for calculating the growth of massive black holes (BH) in galactic nuclei and their impact on the surrounding galaxy. We model BH growth by including a subgrid model for accretion produced by angular momentum transport on unresolved scales. The impact of the BH's radiation on surrounding gas is approximated by depositing momentum into the ambient gas, which produces an outward force away from the BH. We argue that these phenomenological models for BH growth and feedback better approximate the interaction between the BH and dense gas in galaxies than previous models. We show that this physics leads to self-regulated BH growth: during the peak of activity, the accretion rate on to the BH is largely determined by the physics of BH feedback, not the subgrid accretion model. The BH significantly modifies the gas dynamics in the galactic nucleus (≲300 pc), but does not generate large-scale galactic outflows. Integrated over an entire galaxy merger, BH feedback has little effect on the total number of stars formed, but is crucial for setting the BH's mass.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
Galaxies: active
Galaxies: formation
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merger Earth & Environmental Sciences
momentum Earth & Environmental Sciences
accretion Earth & Environmental Sciences
gas Earth & Environmental Sciences
physics Earth & Environmental Sciences
galactic nuclei Physics & Astronomy
DeBuhr, J., Quataert, E., Ma, C. P., & Hopkins, P. (2010). Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, 406(1), L55-L59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00881.x
DeBuhr, Jackson ; Quataert, Eliot ; Ma, Chung Pei ; Hopkins, Philip. / Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations. In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 2010 ; Vol. 406, No. 1. pp. L55-L59.
@article{5674ad052fbe40b09267b63654c133dc,
title = "Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations",
abstract = "We perform hydrodynamical simulations of major galaxy mergers using new methods for calculating the growth of massive black holes (BH) in galactic nuclei and their impact on the surrounding galaxy. We model BH growth by including a subgrid model for accretion produced by angular momentum transport on unresolved scales. The impact of the BH's radiation on surrounding gas is approximated by depositing momentum into the ambient gas, which produces an outward force away from the BH. We argue that these phenomenological models for BH growth and feedback better approximate the interaction between the BH and dense gas in galaxies than previous models. We show that this physics leads to self-regulated BH growth: during the peak of activity, the accretion rate on to the BH is largely determined by the physics of BH feedback, not the subgrid accretion model. The BH significantly modifies the gas dynamics in the galactic nucleus (≲300 pc), but does not generate large-scale galactic outflows. Integrated over an entire galaxy merger, BH feedback has little effect on the total number of stars formed, but is crucial for setting the BH's mass.",
keywords = "Galaxies: active, Galaxies: formation",
author = "Jackson DeBuhr and Eliot Quataert and Ma, {Chung Pei} and Philip Hopkins",
journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters",
DeBuhr, J, Quataert, E, Ma, CP & Hopkins, P 2010, 'Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations', Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, vol. 406, no. 1, pp. L55-L59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00881.x
Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations. / DeBuhr, Jackson; Quataert, Eliot; Ma, Chung Pei; Hopkins, Philip.
In: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters, Vol. 406, No. 1, 07.2010, p. L55-L59.
T1 - Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations
AU - DeBuhr, Jackson
AU - Quataert, Eliot
AU - Ma, Chung Pei
AU - Hopkins, Philip
N2 - We perform hydrodynamical simulations of major galaxy mergers using new methods for calculating the growth of massive black holes (BH) in galactic nuclei and their impact on the surrounding galaxy. We model BH growth by including a subgrid model for accretion produced by angular momentum transport on unresolved scales. The impact of the BH's radiation on surrounding gas is approximated by depositing momentum into the ambient gas, which produces an outward force away from the BH. We argue that these phenomenological models for BH growth and feedback better approximate the interaction between the BH and dense gas in galaxies than previous models. We show that this physics leads to self-regulated BH growth: during the peak of activity, the accretion rate on to the BH is largely determined by the physics of BH feedback, not the subgrid accretion model. The BH significantly modifies the gas dynamics in the galactic nucleus (≲300 pc), but does not generate large-scale galactic outflows. Integrated over an entire galaxy merger, BH feedback has little effect on the total number of stars formed, but is crucial for setting the BH's mass.
AB - We perform hydrodynamical simulations of major galaxy mergers using new methods for calculating the growth of massive black holes (BH) in galactic nuclei and their impact on the surrounding galaxy. We model BH growth by including a subgrid model for accretion produced by angular momentum transport on unresolved scales. The impact of the BH's radiation on surrounding gas is approximated by depositing momentum into the ambient gas, which produces an outward force away from the BH. We argue that these phenomenological models for BH growth and feedback better approximate the interaction between the BH and dense gas in galaxies than previous models. We show that this physics leads to self-regulated BH growth: during the peak of activity, the accretion rate on to the BH is largely determined by the physics of BH feedback, not the subgrid accretion model. The BH significantly modifies the gas dynamics in the galactic nucleus (≲300 pc), but does not generate large-scale galactic outflows. Integrated over an entire galaxy merger, BH feedback has little effect on the total number of stars formed, but is crucial for setting the BH's mass.
KW - Galaxies: active
KW - Galaxies: formation
JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
DeBuhr J, Quataert E, Ma CP, Hopkins P. Self-regulated black hole growth via momentum deposition in galaxy merger simulations. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters. 2010 Jul;406(1):L55-L59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-3933.2010.00881.x