Related papers: Theoretical Black Hole Mass Distributions
Using the star formation histories (SFHs) near 94 supernova remnants (SNRs), we infer the progenitor mass distribution for core-collapse supernovae. We use Bayesian inference and model each SFH with multiple bursts of star formation (SF),…
Beginning from massive binaries in the Galaxy we evolve black-hole, neutron-star binaries and binary neutron stars, such as the Hulse-Taylor system PSR 1913+16. The new point in our evolution is a quantitative calculation of the accretion…
The mass of the central black hole in a galaxy that hosted a tidal disruption event (TDE) is an important parameter in understanding its energetics and dynamics. We present the first homogeneously measured black hole masses of a complete…
We review the current state of dynamical modeling for galaxies in terms of being able to measure both the central black hole mass and stellar orbital structure. Both of these must be known adequately to measure either property. The current…
It is now clear that a subset of supernovae display evidence for jets and are observed as gamma-ray bursts. The angular momentum distribution of massive stellar endpoints provides a rare means of constraining the nature of the central…
The LIGO-Virgo Collaboration has so far detected around 90 black holes, some of which have masses larger than what were expected from the collapse of stars. The mass distribution of LIGO-Virgo black holes appears to have a peak at…
We explore the effect of varying the mass of the seed black hole on the resulting black hole mass - bulge mass relation at z ~ 0, using a semi-analytic model of galaxy formation combined with large cosmological N-body simulations. We…
In this article we consider the formation and evolution of black holes, especially those in binary stars where radiation from the matter falling on them can be seen. We consider a number of effects introduced by some of us, which are not…
We chart the expected Galactic distribution of neutron stars and black holes. These compact remnants of dead stars -- the Galactic underworld -- are found to exhibit a fundamentally different distribution and structure to the visible…
Massive black holes (BHs) inhabit local galaxies, including the Milky Way and some dwarf galaxies. BH formation, occurring at early cosmic times, must account for the properties of BHs in today's galaxies, notably why some galaxies host a…
So far essentially all black hole masses in X-ray binaries have been obtained by observing the companion star's velocity and light curves as functions of the orbital phase. However a major uncertainty is the estimate of the orbital…
When two black holes merge in a dense star cluster, they form a new black hole with a well-defined mass and spin. If that "second-generation" black hole remains in the cluster, it will continue to participate in dynamical encounters, form…
We simulate mergers between galaxies containing collisionally-relaxed nuclei around massive black holes (MBHs). Our galaxies contain four mass groups, representative of old stellar populations; a primary goal is to understand the…
We explore possible systematic errors in the mass measurements of stellar mass black holes. We find that significant errors can arise from the assumption of zero or constant emission from the accretion flow, which is commonly used when…
We track the growth and evolution of high redshift seed black holes over cosmic time. This population of massive, initial black hole seeds form at these early epochs from the direct collapse of pre-galactic gas discs. Populating dark matter…
Gravitational waves from merging binary black holes can be used to shed light on poorly understood aspects of massive binary stellar evolution, such as the evolution of massive stars (including their mass-loss rates), the common envelope…
With nearly a hundred gravitational wave detections, the origin of black hole mergers has become a key question. Here, we focus on understanding the typical galactic environment in which binary black hole mergers arise. To this end, we…
Supermassive black holes and their surrounding dense stellar environments nourish a variety of astrophysical phenomena. We focus on the distribution of stellar-mass black holes around the supermassive black hole and the consequent formation…
We investigate the halo occupation distribution (HOD) of black holes within a hydrodynamic cosmological simulation that directly follows black hole growth. Similar to the HOD of galaxies/subhalos, we find that the black hole occupation…
Supermassive black holes are a key ingredient of galaxy evolution. However, their origin is still highly debated. In one of the leading formation scenarios, a black hole of $\sim100$ M$_{\odot}$ results from the collapse of the inner core…