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Quasi-stellar objects as rotating magnetic superstars

I: Luminosity and density evolution

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Abstract

In this paper the magnetic superstar model is used to discuss QSO luminosity and density evolution. Our main hypotheses are that (i) mass loss from old stars in massive galaxies cools and then falls into the centre to form a nuclear disc (Bailey, 1980); and (ii) magnetic superstars in galactic nuclei condense out of gaseous material at the centre of a supermassive-magnetised disc (Kundt, 1979). On this generalised model we find that the non-thermal (synchrotron) optical luminosity scales asL optL 3 t −7/3, whereL is the total blue luminosity of old stars in the galaxy and t is cosmic time. In addition we show that QSO co-moving density follows the lawD(t)∝exp-(t/t Evol)16/15 with an evolution timescalet Evol = 1.95 × 109 yr. The model as a whole is in good agreement with observations.

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Sorrell, W.H. Quasi-stellar objects as rotating magnetic superstars. Astrophys Space Sci 85, 3–15 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00653426

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00653426

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