Star Captures by Quasar Accretion Disks: a Physical Model for Quasars

Jordi Miralda Escude (Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya)

A model for quasars is discussed in which the accretion disk around the black hole is constantly replenished by matter from stars near the nucleus of the host galaxy, as the stars are captured by the accretion disk and are destroyed inside it. The model solves the problem of how the large mass of a black hole is carried to the very small nuclear region where the quasar light is emitted. At the same time, a relation between the mass of the black hole and the central velocity dispersion of the nuclear starburst is implied, which matches the observed M-sigma relation. The model also has a natural implication for the origin of the broad emission lines of quasar spectra.