2010/07/23 by J. -M. Wang, Jian‐Min Wang, Chang-Shuo Yan +9 · 35 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Accretion (finance) #Active galactic nucleus #Angular momentum #Astronomy #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy merger #Geometry #Metallicity #Physics #Protogalaxy #Star cluster #Star formation #Stars #Supermassive black hole #Supernova #Torus #astro-ph.CO
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/2041-8205/719/2/l148
published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters 719(2), L148-L152 (IOP Publishing) · emulateapj.sty, 5 page, 4 figures (in press)
arxiv created 2010/07/23 · openalex publication_date 2010/07/28 · arxiv updated 2015/05/19 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Self-gravitating accretion disks collapse to star-forming (SF) regions extending to the inner edge of the dusty torus in active galactic nuclei (AGNs). A full set of equations including feedback of star formation is given to describe the dynamics of the regions. We explore the role of supernova explosions (SNexp), which act to excite turbulent viscosity, in the transportation of angular momentum in the regions within 1 pc scale. We find that accretion disks with typical rates in AGNs can be driven by SNexp in the regions and metals are produced spontaneously. The present model predicts a metallicity–luminosity relationship consistent with that observed in AGNs. As relics of SF regions, a ring (or belt) consisting of old stars remains for every episode of supermassive black hole activity. We suggest that multiple stellar rings with random directions interact and form a nuclear star cluster after episodes driven by star formation.