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The Evolution in the Faint-End Slope of the Quasar Luminosity Function
Philip F. Hopkins, Lars Hernquist, Thomas J. Cox +3
(Abridged) Based on numerical simulations of galaxy mergers that incorporate black hole (BH) growth, we predict the faint end slope of the quasar luminosity function (QLF) and its…
A Unified, Merger-Driven Model for the Origin of Starbursts, Quasars, the Cosmic X-Ray Background, Supermassive Black Holes and Galaxy Spheroids
Philip F. Hopkins, Lars Hernquist, Thomas J. Cox +3
We present an evolutionary model for starbursts, quasars, and spheroidal galaxies in which mergers between gas-rich galaxies drive nuclear inflows of gas, producing intense starbur…
Luminosity-Dependent Quasar Lifetimes: Reconciling the Optical and X-ray Quasar Luminosity Functions
Philip F. Hopkins, Lars Hernquist, Thomas J. Cox +3
We consider implications of our new model of quasar lifetimes and light curves for the quasar luminosity function (LF) at different frequencies and redshifts. In our picture, quasa…
Luminosity-Dependent Quasar Lifetimes: A New Interpretation of the Quasar Luminosity Function
Philip F. Hopkins, Lars Hernquist, Thomas J. Cox +3
We propose a new interpretation of the quasar luminosity function (LF), derived from physically motivated models of quasar lifetimes and light curves. In our picture, quasars evolv…
Black Holes in Galaxy Mergers: Evolution of Quasars
Philip F. Hopkins, Lars Hernquist, Thomas J. Cox +4
Based on numerical simulations of gas-rich galaxy mergers, we discuss a model in which quasar activity is tied to the self-regulated growth of supermassive black holes in galaxies.…
A Merger-Driven Scenario for Cosmological Disk Galaxy Formation
Brant Robertson, James S. Bullock, Thomas J. Cox +4
(Abridged) The violent hierarchical nature of the LCDM cosmology poses serious difficulties for the formation of disk galaxies. To help resolve these issues, we describe a new, mer…