Quasar Evolution Driven by Galaxy Encounters in Hierarchical Structures

Details Quasar Evolution Driven by Galaxy Encounters in Hierarchical Structures Quasar Evolution Driven by Galaxy Encounters in Hierarchical Structures

2003-03-14

arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0303332v2

Astrophys.J. 587 (2003) L63-L66

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

5 pages. Accepted for publication in ApJ Letters

Scientific paper

10.1086/375337

We link the evolution of the galaxies in the hierarchical clustering scenario with the changing accretion rates of cold gas onto the central massive black holes that power the quasars. We base on galaxy interactions as main triggers of accretion; the related scaling laws are taken up from Cavaliere & Vittorini (2000), and grafted to a semi-analytic code for galaxy formation. As a result, at high $z$ the protogalaxies grow rapidly by hierarchical merging; meanwhile, much fresh gas is imported and also destabilized, so the holes are fueled at their full Eddington rates. At lower $z$ the galactic dynamical events are mostly encounters in hierarchically growing groups; now the refueling peters out, as the residual gas is exhausted while the destabilizing encounters dwindle. So, with no parameter tuning other than needed for stellar observables, our model uniquely produces at $z>3$ a rise, and at $z\lesssim 2.5 $ a decline of the bright quasar population as steep as observed. In addition, our results closely fit the observed luminosity functions of quasars, their space density at different magnitudes from $z\approx 5$ to $z\approx 0$, and the local $m_{BH}-\sigma$ relation.

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