The dynamics and fueling of active nuclei

Abstract

It is generally believed that quasars and active galactic nuclei produce their prodigious luminosities in connection with the release of gravitational energy associated with accretion and infall of matter onto a compact central object. In the present analysis, it is assumed that the central object is a massive black hole. The fact that a black hole provides the deepest possible central potential well does imply that it is the most natural candidate for the central engine. It is also assumed that the quasar is associated with the nucleus of a conventional galaxy. A number of difficulties arise in connection with finding a suitable stellar fueling model. A simple scheme is discussed for resolving these difficulties. Attention is given to fueling in a nonaxisymmetric potential, the effects of a massive accretion disk, and the variability in the disk luminosity caused by star-disk collisions assuming that the energy deposited in the disk is radiated.