Trinity I: Self-Consistently Modeling the Dark Matter Halo-Galaxy-Supermassive Black Hole Connection from $z=0-10$

TL;DR

Trinity is an empirical model that self-consistently links dark matter haloes, galaxies, and SMBHs across cosmic time, constrained by diverse observational data from redshift 0 to 10, revealing insights into SMBH growth and galaxy evolution.

Contribution

The paper introduces Trinity, a novel empirical framework that simultaneously models the dark matter, galaxy, and SMBH connection from $z=0$ to 10, incorporating observational systematics.

Findings

SMBH mass--bulge mass relation slope mildly increases from $z=0$ to $10$

AGN radiative+kinetic efficiency is approximately 0.05-0.06

AGNs exhibit downsizing with earlier decline in Eddington ratios for massive SMBHs

Abstract

We present Trinity, a flexible empirical model that self-consistently infers the statistical connection between dark matter haloes, galaxies, and supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Trinity is constrained by galaxy observables from $0<z<10$ (galaxies' stellar mass functions, specific and cosmic SFRs, quenched fractions, and UV luminosity functions) and SMBH observables from $0<z<6.5$ (quasar luminosity functions, quasar probability distribution functions, active black hole mass functions, local SMBH mass--bulge mass relations, and the observed SMBH mass distributions of high redshift bright quasars). The model includes full treatment of observational systematics (e.g., AGN obscuration and errors in stellar masses). From these data, Trinity infers the average SMBH mass, SMBH accretion rate, merger rate, and Eddington ratio distribution as functions of halo mass, galaxy stellar mass, and redshift. Key findings include: 1) the normalization and the slope of the SMBH mass--bulge mass relation increases mildly from $z=0$ to $z=10$; 2) The best-fitting AGN radiative$+$kinetic efficiency is $\sim 0.05-0.06$, but can range from $\sim 0.035-0.07$ with alternative input assumptions; 3) AGNs show downsizing, i.e., the Eddington ratios of more massive SMBHs start to decrease earlier than those of lower-mass objects; 4) The average ratio between average SMBH accretion rate and SFR is $\sim 10^{-3}$ for low-mass galaxies, which are primarily star-forming. This ratio increases to $\sim 10^{-1}$ for the most massive haloes below $z\sim 1$, where star formation is quenched but SMBHs continue to accrete.