The distribution of stars around a massive black hole

Stuart L. Shapiro; Alan P. Lightman

doi:10.1038/262743a0

The distribution of stars around a massive black hole

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

The stellar density distribution around a massive black hole at the centre of a spherical star cluster is determined from a simple scaling argument. The distribution is obtained by examining the net diffusion timescales associated with star and energy transport in a spherical, N-body system in dynamic equilibrium. The same analysis is also used to determine the stellar density profile in the halo of a star cluster. The approximate distribution obtained here for a relaxed, N-body system with (or without) a central, massive black hole agrees qualitatively with the results of detailed numerical calculations.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	743-745
Number of pages	3
Journal	Nature
Volume	262
Issue number	5571
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/262743a0
State	Published - 1976
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General

Online availability

10.1038/262743a0

Library availability

Discover UIUC Full Text

Cite this

@article{a03903f89b444a25b477f414f058e61c,

title = "The distribution of stars around a massive black hole",

abstract = "The stellar density distribution around a massive black hole at the centre of a spherical star cluster is determined from a simple scaling argument. The distribution is obtained by examining the net diffusion timescales associated with star and energy transport in a spherical, N-body system in dynamic equilibrium. The same analysis is also used to determine the stellar density profile in the halo of a star cluster. The approximate distribution obtained here for a relaxed, N-body system with (or without) a central, massive black hole agrees qualitatively with the results of detailed numerical calculations.",

author = "Shapiro, {Stuart L.} and Lightman, {Alan P.}",

year = "1976",

doi = "10.1038/262743a0",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "262",

pages = "743--745",

journal = "Nature",

issn = "0028-0836",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

number = "5571",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The distribution of stars around a massive black hole

AU - Shapiro, Stuart L.

AU - Lightman, Alan P.

PY - 1976

Y1 - 1976

N2 - The stellar density distribution around a massive black hole at the centre of a spherical star cluster is determined from a simple scaling argument. The distribution is obtained by examining the net diffusion timescales associated with star and energy transport in a spherical, N-body system in dynamic equilibrium. The same analysis is also used to determine the stellar density profile in the halo of a star cluster. The approximate distribution obtained here for a relaxed, N-body system with (or without) a central, massive black hole agrees qualitatively with the results of detailed numerical calculations.

AB - The stellar density distribution around a massive black hole at the centre of a spherical star cluster is determined from a simple scaling argument. The distribution is obtained by examining the net diffusion timescales associated with star and energy transport in a spherical, N-body system in dynamic equilibrium. The same analysis is also used to determine the stellar density profile in the halo of a star cluster. The approximate distribution obtained here for a relaxed, N-body system with (or without) a central, massive black hole agrees qualitatively with the results of detailed numerical calculations.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0007640437&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0007640437&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/262743a0

DO - 10.1038/262743a0

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:0007640437

SN - 0028-0836

VL - 262

SP - 743

EP - 745

JO - Nature

JF - Nature

IS - 5571

ER -

The distribution of stars around a massive black hole

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Online availability

Library availability

Related links

Fingerprint

Cite this