SIMBAD references

2010MNRAS.406..597G - Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc., 406, 597-611 (2010/July-3)

Towards a complete census of active galactic nuclei in nearby galaxies: the incidence of growing black holes.

GOULDING A.D., ALEXANDER D.M., LEHMER B.D. and MULLANEY J.R.

Abstract (from CDS):

We investigate the local supermassive black hole (SMBH) density function and relative mass accretion rates of all active galactic nuclei (AGNs) identified in a volume-limited sample of infrared (IR) bright galaxies (LIR > 3x109L) to D < 15Mpc. A data base of accurate SMBH mass (MBH) estimates is compiled from literature sources using physically motivated AGN modelling techniques (reverberation mapping, maser mapping and gas kinematics) and well-established indirect MBHestimation methods (the M* and MBH-L_K,bul_relations). For the three sources without previously published MBHestimates, we use Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS) K-band imaging and galfit to constrain the bulge luminosities, and hence SMBH masses. In general, we find the AGNs in the sample host SMBHs which are spread over a wide mass range [MBH~ (0.1-30)x107M], but with the majority in the poorly studied MBH~ 106-107Mregion. Using sensitive hard X-ray (2-10keV) and mid-IR constraints we calculate the bolometric luminosities of the AGNs (LBol,AGN) and use them to estimate relative mass accretion rates. We use these data to calculate the volume-averaged SMBH growth rate of galaxies in the local Universe and find that the AGNs hosting SMBHs in the mass range MBH~ 106-107M are dominated by optically unidentified AGNs. These relatively small SMBHs are acquiring a significant proportion of their mass in the present day, and are amongst the most rapidly growing in the local Universe (SMBH mass-doubling times of ~6Gyr). Additionally, we find tentative evidence for an increasing volume-weighted AGN fraction with decreasing SMBH mass in the MBH ~ 106-108Mrange. Overall, we conclude that significant mass accretion on to small SMBHs may be missed in even the most sensitive optical surveys due to absent or weak optical AGN signatures.

Abstract Copyright: © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 RAS

Journal keyword(s): galaxies: active - galaxies: evolution - galaxies: nuclei - galaxies: Seyfert - infrared: galaxies

Simbad objects: 33

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