THE FUNDAMENTAL PLANE OF ACCRETION ONTO BLACK HOLES WITH DYNAMICAL MASSES
- Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109 (United States)
- McWilliams Center for Cosmology, Physics Department, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (United States)
- Anton Pannekoek, University of Amsterdam, 1090 GE Amsterdam (Netherlands)
Black hole accretion and jet production are areas of intensive study in astrophysics. Recent work has found a relation between radio luminosity, X-ray luminosity, and black hole mass. With the assumption that radio and X-ray luminosities are suitable proxies for jet power and accretion power, respectively, a broad fundamental connection between accretion and jet production is implied. In an effort to refine these links and enhance their power, we have explored the above relations exclusively among black holes with direct, dynamical mass-measurements. This approach not only eliminates systematic errors incurred through the use of secondary mass measurements, but also effectively restricts the range of distances considered to a volume-limited sample. Further, we have exclusively used archival data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory to best isolate nuclear sources. We find log L{sub R} = (4.80 +- 0.24) + (0.78 +- 0.27)log M {sub BH} + (0.67 +- 0.12)log L{sub X} , in broad agreement with prior efforts. Owing to the nature of our sample, the plane can be turned into an effective mass predictor. When the full sample is considered, masses are predicted less accurately than with the well-known M-sigma relation. If obscured active galactic nuclei are excluded, the plane is potentially a better predictor than other scaling measures.
- OSTI ID:
- 21378197
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 706, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/706/1/404; ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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