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Do massive black holes reside in elliptical galaxies?

Abstract

Evidence that radio-loud quasars and powerful radio galaxies occur in elliptical galaxies1,2 suggests that most bright ellipticals now contain a 'dead' or inactive quasar3,4. In most theories, the central 'engine' is a massive, perhaps rapidly spinning black hole5, with a mass 108–109M, deduced from simple energetic arguments or from the properties of the broad-line emitting regions6. There have been a number of searches for the massive black holes that are expected to reside at the centres of elliptical galaxies7–9. Here we examine the accretion by a central black hole of the hot interstellar medium in an elliptical galaxy10,11, and estimate the minimum expected luminosity and the manner of its emission. It is not obviously detected at any wavelength. Contrary to the problem raised by Gunn12 of 'feeding the monster', we raise the problem of 'starving' it, if indeed there is a monster.

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Fabian, A., Canizares, C. Do massive black holes reside in elliptical galaxies?. Nature 333, 829–831 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/333829a0

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