Older and more recent pieces of observational evidence suggest a strong connection between QSOs and galaxies; in particular, the recently discovered correlation between black hole and galactic bulge masses suggests that QSO activity is directly connected to the formation of galactic bulges. The cosmological problem of QSO formation is analysed in the framework of an analytical model for galaxy formation; for the first time a joint comparison with galaxy and QSO observables is performed. In this model it is assumed that the same physical variable that determines galaxy morphology is able to modulate the mass of the black hole responsible for QSO activity. Both halo spin and the occurrence of a major merger are considered as candidates for this role. The predictions of the model are compared with available data for the type-dependent galaxy mass functions, the star formation history of elliptical galaxies, the QSO luminosity function and its evolution (including the obscured objects contributing to the hard-X-ray background), the mass function of dormant black holes and the distribution of black hole-to-bulge mass ratios. A good agreement with observations is obtained if the halo spin modulates the efficiency of black hole formation, and if the galactic haloes at z = 0 have shone in an inverted order with respect to the hierarchical one (i.e., stars and black holes in bigger galactic haloes have formed before those in smaller ones). This inversion of hierarchical order for galaxy formation, which reconciles galaxy formation with QSO evolution, is consistent with many pieces of observational evidence.

Joint cosmological formation of QSOs and bulge-dominated galaxies / Monaco, P; Salucci, Paolo; Danese, Luigi. - In: MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY. - ISSN 0035-8711. - 311:2(2000), pp. 279-296. [10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03043.x]

Joint cosmological formation of QSOs and bulge-dominated galaxies

Salucci, Paolo;Danese, Luigi
2000-01-01

Abstract

Older and more recent pieces of observational evidence suggest a strong connection between QSOs and galaxies; in particular, the recently discovered correlation between black hole and galactic bulge masses suggests that QSO activity is directly connected to the formation of galactic bulges. The cosmological problem of QSO formation is analysed in the framework of an analytical model for galaxy formation; for the first time a joint comparison with galaxy and QSO observables is performed. In this model it is assumed that the same physical variable that determines galaxy morphology is able to modulate the mass of the black hole responsible for QSO activity. Both halo spin and the occurrence of a major merger are considered as candidates for this role. The predictions of the model are compared with available data for the type-dependent galaxy mass functions, the star formation history of elliptical galaxies, the QSO luminosity function and its evolution (including the obscured objects contributing to the hard-X-ray background), the mass function of dormant black holes and the distribution of black hole-to-bulge mass ratios. A good agreement with observations is obtained if the halo spin modulates the efficiency of black hole formation, and if the galactic haloes at z = 0 have shone in an inverted order with respect to the hierarchical one (i.e., stars and black holes in bigger galactic haloes have formed before those in smaller ones). This inversion of hierarchical order for galaxy formation, which reconciles galaxy formation with QSO evolution, is consistent with many pieces of observational evidence.
2000
311
2
279
296
https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9907095
Monaco, P; Salucci, Paolo; Danese, Luigi
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11767/12748
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 84
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 86
social impact