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Revised Rates of Stellar Disruption in Galactic Nuclei

Jianxiang Wang·David Merritt
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Abstract

We compute rates of tidal disruption of stars by supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei, using downwardly-revised black hole masses from the M-sigma relation. In galaxies with steep nuclear density profiles, which dominate the overall event rate, the disruption frequency varies inversely with assumed black hole mass. We compute a total rate for non-dwarf galaxies that is about a factor ten higher than in earlier studies. Disruption rates are predicted to be highest in nucleated dwarf galaxies, assuming that such galaxies contain black holes. Monitoring of a rich galaxy cluster for a few years could rule out the existence of intermediate mass black holes in dwarf galaxies.

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Jianxiang Wang, David Merritt. 2003-06-26. Revised Rates of Stellar Disruption in Galactic Nuclei. https://doi.org/10.1086/379767

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