Tracing the massive inflows feeding super-massive black holes in quasars
Schematic diagram of the quasar nucleus
Strong observational evidence accumulated since the end of the last century indicates that the vast majority of galaxies host at their centers a black hole with a mass range of MSMBH～106−1010M(solar mass). Going back in time, these super-massive black holes (SMBHs) should grow from seed black holes possibly with Mseed～102−105M, "activated" mainly by accretion of the interstellar medium in their host galaxies. During their fast growing phase, such SMBHs manifest themselves as quasars, producing as much as 104 times the luminosity of a typical galaxy, such as the Milky Way.
