McWilliams Center for Cosmology McWilliams Center for Cosmology
Piero Madau · 2009
Scenarios for the assembly of massive black holes ( Scenarios for the assembly of massive black holes (MBHs) ) trace their hierarchical build trace their hierarchical build-up far up in the galaxy merger tree. up far up in the galaxy merger tree. The first active nuclei may have started shining a few hundred The first active nuclei may have started shining a few hundred megayears after the big bang, permeating the universe with x after the big bang, permeating the universe with x-ray photons, ray photons, changing the chemistry of primordial gas, and making the interga changing the chemistry of primordial gas, and making the intergalactic lactic medium glow at 21 cm wavelengths. The spin distribution medium glow at 21 cm wavelengths. The spin distribution of of MBHs MBHs, the formation and coalescence of MBH binaries, , the formation and coalescence of MBH binaries, and the impact of gravitational wave recoil will be discussed. and the impact of gravitational wave recoil will be discussed. Decaying MBH binaries will eject hypervelocity stars, enhance st Decaying MBH binaries will eject hypervelocity stars, enhance stellar