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[27.16] AGN Black Holes and the Evolution of Host Galaxies

J.-H. Woo, C. M. Urry (Yale University), R. P. van der Marel (STScI), P. Lira (University de Chile)

Black hole mass, along with mass accretion rate, is a fundamental property of active galactic nuclei (AGNs). We investigate black hole mass and its correlations with other AGN properties for a large sample of ~450 AGNs. For a subsample of ~30 AGNs at z<0.5, we measured the stellar velocity dispersion, estimated black hole mass, and studied the evolution of host galaxies. In contrast to other studies, we find no significant correlation of black hole mass with AGN luminosity or radio loudness. There is a range in Eddington ratio of up to 3 orders of magnitude for any given black hole mass, and the black hole mass of radio-loud and radio-quiet AGNs span the same large range, 10⁶-10¹⁰ M_\odot, suggesting radio loudness in AGNs does not depend strongly on black hole mass. BL Lac hosts and radio galaxies seem to lie on the same Fundamental Plane as normal galaxies. The M/L evolution of host galaxies is similar to that of normal galaxies. The normality of AGN host galaxies indicates that AGNs are a transient phase in the evolution of most or all galaxies.

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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 5
© 2004. The American Astronomical Society.