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arXiv · 2003.02611

Subhalo sinking and off-center massive black holes in dwarf galaxies

Pierre Boldrini·Roya Mohayaee·Joseph Silk
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Abstract

Using fully GPU $N$-body simulations, we demonstrate for the first time that subhalos sink and transfer energy via dynamical friction into the centres of dwarf galaxies. This dynamical heating kicks any central massive black hole (MBH) out to tens of parsecs, especially at early epochs ($z$=1.5-3). This mechanism helps explain the observed off-center BHs in dwarf galaxies and also predicts that off-center BHs are more common in higher mass dwarf galaxies since dynamical friction becomes significantly weaker and BHs take more time to sink back towards the centres of their host galaxies. One consequence of off-center BHs during early epochs of dwarf galaxies is to quench any BH feedback.

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Pierre Boldrini, Roya Mohayaee, Joseph Silk. 2020-03-05. Subhalo sinking and off-center massive black holes in dwarf galaxies. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl%2Fslaa043

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