Elucidating the Local Supermassive Black Hole – Galaxy Connection Grant uri icon

abstract

  • Part 1 Supermassive black holes, weighing a million to several billion solar masses, reside at the centers of most, if not all, massive galaxies. Although the black hole''s gravitational influence is limited to a very small region at the center of the galaxy, surprisingly the black hole mass has been found to strongly correlate with the properties of the larger host galaxy. This suggests that black holes are essential components of galaxies, with the growth of one somehow affecting the growth of the other. Our understanding of the underlying physics, however, is limited by the current sample of galaxies. In particular, black hole mass determinations have been made in galaxies that are not representative of the global population. Our program seeks to address this troublesome bias by measuring black hole masses in 31 local galaxies using state-of-the-art observational and dynamical modeling methods. The proposed research will yield the largest uniform black hole survey carried out to date. By specifically targeting galaxies with sizes and luminosities that are not well represented in the existing sample, the PI will obtain a more complete census of local black holes in a wider range of galaxies. Forgoing the approach that has been used for years of measuring a few black holes at a time, and instead examining large, homogenous datasets of carefully selected samples is the ideal way to achieve a breakthrough in our understanding of how black holes and galaxies grow and evolve together. The project also incorporates an educational component, reaching a potentially large number of people who may never opt to attend a science event on their own. The PI will organize and coordinate the presentation of interactive physics and astronomy demonstrations during First Fridays in downtown Bryan, TX. During First Fridays, the public gather to take in culture through live music, street performances, and art exhibitions. The outreach activity will engage the public while they partake in their normal activities and show that science is relevant to their everyday lives. The program will further provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to interact with department members at all levels, which is particularly useful for retaining beginning undergraduates who may not yet feel at home and connected to the department. Part 2 Over the past two decades it has become increasingly clear that supermassive black holes are essential components of galaxies. About 100 black hole mass measurements in nearby galaxies have been made to date, leading to the establishment of tight correlations between the mass of a central black hole and its host galaxy''s large-scale properties. Our understanding of the underlying physics driving the empirical relations, however, is limited by the current sample of galaxies. In particular, black hole mass determinations have been made in galaxies that are not representative of the global population. Instead, galaxies with small sizes at a given luminosity have been preferentially targeted, as they are generally the easiest to observe and model. The project seeks to address this troublesome bias by weighing black holes in 31 local galaxies using adaptive optics integral field spectroscopy from the Gemini North telescope, Hubble Space Telescope imaging, wide-field integral field spectroscopy from McDonald Observatory, and state-of-the-art dynamical models. The proposed research will yield the largest uniform black hole survey carried out to date, and will significantly enhance the diversity of black hole hosts by targeting galaxies with sizes and luminosities that are not well represented in the existing sample. This benchmark study will produce a more complete census of black holes in a wide range of galaxies that have experienced diverse evolutionary pasts, and will provide a deeper understanding of black hole-galaxy co-evolution. Detailed investigations of large, carefully selected samples using a homogenous approach is the ideal way to make major progress in the field prior to the next generation of extremely large telescopes. The program also incorporates an educational component, reaching a potentially large number of people who may never opt to attend a science event on their own. Using the lessons learned from a previous pilot program, the PI will organize and coordinate the presentation of interactive physics and astronomy demonstrations during First Fridays in downtown Bryan, TX. During First Fridays, the public gather to take in culture through live music, street performances, and art exhibitions. The outreach activity will engage the public while they partake in their normal activities and show that science is relevant to their everyday lives. Beyond reaching an untapped audience, the program will provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to interact with department members at all levels, which is particularly useful for retaining beginning undergraduates who may not yet feel at home and connected to the department. This award reflects NSF''s statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation''s intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

date/time interval

  • 2018 - 2021