Bibcode
Hughes, John A.; Barrows, R. S.; Berrier, J. C.; Davis, B. L.; Kennefick, D.; Kennefick, J. D.; Lacy, C. H. S.; Seigar, M. S.; Shields, D. W.; Zoldak, K. A.
Bibliographical reference
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #219, #107.05
Advertised on:
1
2012
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0
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Description
A possible correlation between spiral galaxy pitch angle (P) and the
mass of the central supermassive black hole (SMBH) of the galaxy (M) was
reported (Seigar et al. 2008) from a sample of 27 nearby galaxies. Here
we investigate the extension of this result to intermediate and high
redshifts. We have selected AGN showing spiral structure in their host
galaxies from the GOODS fields and from a sample of AGN with
reverberation mapping SMBH mass estimates. After careful measure of the
pitch angle of these galaxies, we compare the mass found from the M-P
relation to that reported from reverberation mapping or estimated from
their MgII profiles. By extending the sample to higher redshift, we
demonstrate how the M-P relationship can be used to estimate the mass of
SMBHs in the center of galaxies with imaging data alone, a useful tool
in the study of galaxy evolution.