On the origins, growth, and radiative efficiency of J0529-4351, reportedly the fastest-growing known black hole

TL;DR

This paper investigates the growth and radiative efficiency of the luminous quasar J0529-4351, revealing that its high luminosity results from a high radiative efficiency rather than an exceptionally high accretion rate, challenging common assumptions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that high luminosity in quasars can be due to high radiative efficiency, not just high accretion rates, and emphasizes the importance of accurately estimating radiative efficiency in black hole studies.

Findings

J0529-4351 grew from a heavy seed (~2-3E+04 solar masses)

Its accretion rate (~10-13 solar masses/year) is the lowest among similar black holes

Its radiative efficiency is the highest, explaining its luminosity despite low accretion rate

Abstract

SMSS J0521-4351 is reportedly the most luminous quasar known to date, and assuming a mean radiative efficiency of 0.1, it is inferred to be the fastest-growing black hole, accreting approximately one solar mass per day. Assessing the implications of this assumption on the seed mass and inception time of J0529-4351, we show that the inferred accretion rate is unreasonably high and that its radiative efficiency must be much greater than 0.1. Then, we derive its accretion rate and seed mass, and for comparison of three other similar-size (~1-2E+10 solar masses) black holes at various redshifts, using well-tested empirical scaling relations. The results indicate that J0529-4351 grew from a heavy seed (~2-3E+04 solar masses), and that its accretion rate (~10-13 solar masses/year) is the lowest of the four black holes. However, its radiative efficiency inferred from its bolometric luminosity and the derived accretion rate is the highest, which explains why it is the most luminous despite having the lowest accretion rate. This study challenges the prevailing notion that a higher luminosity or a higher Eddington ratio implies a higher accretion rate, highlights the dependence of a black hole's luminosity on radiative efficiency, reveals the pitfalls of inferring black hole properties assuming a standard value for radiative efficiency, and suggests that the Eddington ratios of high-luminosity BHs may be significantly overestimated.