We analyze published reverberation mapping data for three Seyfert galaxies (NGC 3227, NGC 3516, and NGC 4593) to refine the mass estimate for the supermassive black hole in the center of each object. Treatment of the data in a manner more consistent with other large compilations of such masses allows us to more securely compare our results to wider samples of data, e.g., in the investigation of...

We have obtained for the first time K-band infrared spectra of the soft X-ray transient V616 Mon (=A0620–00). We determine the 2-σ upper limit to the fraction of light arising from the accretion disc to be 27 percent. The effect this has on the binary inclination, determined from modelling the infrared ellipsoidal variations is to increase it by less than 7 degrees and decrease the mass of the ...

We have obtained for the first time K-band infrared spectra of the soft X-ray transient V616 Mon (=A0620–00). We determine the 2-σ upper limit to the fraction of light arising from the accretion disc to be 27 percent. The effect this has on the binary inclination, determined from modelling the infrared ellipsoidal variations is to increase it by less than 7 degrees and decrease the mass of the ...

We report the first results of a program to measure accurate stellar velocity dispersions in the bulges of the host galaxies of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) for which accurate black hole (BH) masses have been determined via reverberation mapping. We find good agreement between BH masses obtained from reverberation mapping, and from the M• −σ relation as defined by quiescent galaxies, indicatin...

We apply the stellar population synthesis code by Cid Fernandes et al. to model the stellar contribution for a sample of 209 type II AGNs at redshifts 0.3 < z < 0.83 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The reliable stellar velocity dispersions (σ∗) are obtained for 33 type II AGNs with significant stellar absorption features. According to the L[OIII] criterion of 3 × 10 L , 20 of which can be cl...

We study the relation between nuclear massive black holes and their host spheroid gravitational potential. Using simple models, we analyze how gas is expected to be transported in the nuclear regions of galaxies. When we couple it with the expected gas lifetime given by the Kennicutt-Schmidt Law, this naturally leads to the ‘MBH Mvirial’ and ‘MBH σ’ relations. Subject headings: quasars: general...

dσ(δX(σ)) < 0. Of more direct physical interest is the commutator of finite mass fields, obtained by smearing the string fields with appropriate wave functions. This is shown to vanish at spacelike separations, reproducing the usual point particle field theory result. The implications of this for the information spreading mechanism proposed by Susskind to solve the black hole information proble...

Using a simple description of feedback from black hole growth, we develop an analytic model for the fueling of Seyferts (low-luminosity AGN) and their relation to their host galaxies, Eddington ratio distributions, and cosmological evolution. We derive a solution for the time evolution of accretion rates in a feedback-driven blast wave, applicable to large-scale outflows from bright quasars in ...

The radio galaxy Fornax A (NGC 1316) is a prominent merger remnant in the outskirts of the Fornax cluster. Its giant radio lobes suggest the presence of a powerful AGN, and thus a central supermassive black hole (SMBH). Fornax A now seems to be in a transition state between active black hole growth and quiescence, as indicated by the strongly declined activity of the nucleus. Studying objects i...