The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): constraining supermassive black hole growth with population spin measurements

Piotrowska JM, García JA, Walton DJ, Beckmann RS, Stern D, Ballantyne DR, Wilkins DR, Bianchi S, Boorman PG, Buchner J, Chen CT, Coppi P, Dauser T, Fabian AC, Kammoun E, Madsen K, Mallick L, Matt G, Matzeu G, Nardini E, Pizzetti A, Puccetti S, Ricci C, Tombesi F, Torres-Albà N, Wong KW (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences Frontiers Media

Book Volume: 11

Article Number: 1324796

DOI: 10.3389/fspas.2024.1324796

Abstract

Constraining the primary growth channel of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) remains one the most actively debated questions in the context of cosmological structure formation. Owing to the expected connection between SMBH spin parameter evolution and the accretion and merger history of individual black holes, population spin measurements offer a rare observational window into the cosmic growth of SMBHs. As of today, the most common method for estimating SMBH spin relies on modeling the relativistically broaden atomic profiles in the reflection spectrum observed in X-rays. In this paper, we study the observational requirements needed to confidently distinguish between the primary SMBH growth channels based on their distinct spin-mass distributions predicted by the Horizon-AGN cosmological simulation. Indoing so, we characterize outstanding limitations associated with the existing measurements and discuss the landscape of future observational campaigns which could be planned and executed with future X-ray observatories. We focus our attention on the High-Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P), a proposed probe-class mission designed to serve the high-energy community in the 2030s.

Authors with CRIS profile

Thomas Dauser Dr.Karl-Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut

Involved external institutions

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) US United States (USA) (US) University of Hertfordshire GB United Kingdom (GB) National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) US United States (USA) (US) European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC) ES Spain (ES) Clemson University US United States (USA) (US) University of Cambridge GB United Kingdom (GB) Georgia Institute of Technology US United States (USA) (US) Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) / Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics DE Germany (DE) National Institute for Astrophysics / Istituto Nazionale Astrofisica (INAF) IT Italy (IT) Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology (KIPAC) US United States (USA) (US) Università degli Studi Roma Tre IT Italy (IT) Yale University US United States (USA) (US) Italian Space Agency / Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) IT Italy (IT) Diego Portales University / Universidad Diego Portales CL Chile (CL) State University of New York Brockport US United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Piotrowska, J.M., García, J.A., Walton, D.J., Beckmann, R.S., Stern, D., Ballantyne, D.R.,... Wong, K.W. (2024). The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): constraining supermassive black hole growth with population spin measurements. Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspas.2024.1324796

MLA:

Piotrowska, J. M., et al. "The high energy X-ray probe (HEX-P): constraining supermassive black hole growth with population spin measurements." Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences 11 (2024).

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