相关论文: Relativistic Stellar Dynamics Around a Massive Bla…

We present a first-principles theory of Resonant Relaxation (RR) of a low mass stellar system orbiting a more massive black hole (MBH). We first extend the kinetic theory of Gilbert (1968) to include the Keplerian field of a black hole of…

Despite its proximity, the mass of the supermassive black hole (SMBH) in the spiral galaxy M81 (NGC~3031) has remained uncertain, with previous dynamical measurements being unreliable. We present the first robust stellar-dynamical…

Understanding the coevolution of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies requires tracing their growth over time. Mass measurements of distant black holes have been limited to active nuclei and commonly rely on spatially unresolved…

The article summarizes the observational evidence for the existence of massive black holes, as well as the current knowledge about their abundance, their mass and spin distributions, and their cosmic evolution within and together with their…

The central regions of galaxies show the presence of massive black holes and/or dense stellar systems. The question about their modes of formation is still under debate. A likely explanation of the formation of the central dense stellar…

The robustness of stellar-dynamical black hole (BH) mass measurements is illustrated using 7 galaxies that have results from independent groups. Derived masses have remained constant to a factor of about 2 as spatial resolution has improved…

Stars around a massive black hole (MBH) move on nearly fixed Keplerian orbits, in a centrally-dominated potential. The random fluctuations of the discrete stellar background cause small potential perturbations, which accelerate the…

We present a theory in three parts, of the secular dynamics of a (Keplerian) stellar system of mass $M$ orbiting a black hole of mass $M_\bullet \gg M$. Here we describe the collisionless dynamics; Papers II and III are on the (collisional)…

Establishing or ruling out, either through solid mass measurements or upper limits, the presence of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) at the centers of star clusters would profoundly impact our understanding of problems ranging from the…

Super-Massive Black Holes reside in galactic nuclei, where they exhibit episodic bright flares due to accretion events. Taking into account relativistic effects, namely, the boosting and lensing of X-ray flares, we further examine the…

The past 10 years have witnessed a change of perspective in the way astrophysicists think about massive black holes (MBHs), which are now considered to have a major role in the evolution of galaxies. This appreciation was driven by the…

Understanding the formation and evolution of stellar-mass binary black holes (BBHs) requires a thorough investigation of the key physical processes involved. While one pathway involves the isolated evolution of massive binary stars,…

We study the dynamical evolution of the stellar mass binary black holes (BBHs) in a galactic nucleus that contains a massive black hole (MBH). For a comprehensive study of their merging events, we consider simultaneously the non-resonant…

We study the Resonant Relaxation (RR) of an axisymmetric low mass (or Keplerian) stellar disc orbiting a more massive black hole (MBH). Our recent work on the general kinetic theory of RR is simplified in the standard manner by ignoring the…

This review discusses the current status of supermassive black hole research, as seen from a purely observational standpoint. Since the early '90s, rapid technological advances, most notably the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, the…

Recent observations indicate that the mass of Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) correlate differently with different galaxy stellar components. Comparing such observations with the results of "ab initio" galaxy formation models can provide…

We analyze the dynamical evolution of binary stars that interact with a static background of single stars in the environment of a massive black hole (MBH). All stars are considered to be single mass, Newtonian point particles. We follow the…

Some of the theoretical challenges posed by the general relativistic description of binary systems of compact objects (neutron stars or black holes) are reviewed. We recall the various ways one can use the theory of the motion, and of the…

The disruption of a star by the tidal field of a massive black hole is the final outcome of a chain of complex dynamical processes in the host galaxy. I introduce the "loss cone problem", and describe the many theoretical and numerical…

We review the motivation and search for supermassive black holes (BHs) in galaxies. Energetic nuclear activity provides indirect but compelling evidence for BH engines. Ground-based dynamical searches for central dark objects are reviewed…