Do we know where supermassive black holes come from?

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SUMMARY

Astrophysicists assert that solar mass black holes originate from the core collapse of stars that have depleted their nuclear fuel. The formation of supermassive black holes remains less understood, with theories suggesting they arise from either the gravitational collapse of massive matter in young galaxies or the merger of smaller black holes. The complexity of these phenomena is compounded by the challenges posed by the Vlasov equation and the Einstein-Vlasov equation, which describe the dynamics of gravitationally interacting bodies in relativistic contexts. For further exploration, the resource "Living Reviews in Relativity" offers in-depth insights.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of stellar evolution and core collapse
  • Familiarity with gravitational theories, specifically Newtonian gravitation
  • Knowledge of the Vlasov equation and its applications
  • Basic comprehension of general relativity and its implications
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the Vlasov equation and its role in astrophysics
  • Study the Einstein-Vlasov equation and its applications in relativistic systems
  • Explore the mechanisms of black hole mergers and their implications for supermassive black hole formation
  • Read "Black Holes and Time Warps" by Kip Thorne for foundational knowledge
USEFUL FOR

Astrophysicists, graduate students in physics, and anyone interested in the formation and dynamics of black holes.

rubecuber
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do we know where supermassive black holes come from?
thanks,
rubecuber
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Define "know" :wink:

Astrophysicists believe that solar mass black holes originate from the collapse of the core of a star which has exhausted its nuclear fuel. You can find a lot of information about this in the popular book by Thorne, Black Holes and Time Warps.

The origin of supermassive black holes is currently a bit more mysterious. One school of thought is that they formed from the gravitational collapse of a huge glop of matter in a young galaxy. Another is that they formed from the collision of many smaller black holes. Why is it hard to say who is right? Well, even the statistical theory in Newtonian gravitation of many many gravitationally interacting bodies (as in the dense stellar globule) turns out to be quite hard (keyword: Vlasov equation). Only recently have theorists tackled the analogous relativistic problem (keyword: Einstein-Vlasov equation).

Graduate students interested in learning more can see http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2005-2/index.html at Living Reviews.
 
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