Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4262-4845

Date of Award

5-2-2022

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Physics and Astronomy

First Advisor

Misty C. Bentz

Second Advisor

D. Michael Crenshaw

Third Advisor

Megan C. Johnson

Fourth Advisor

Hélène M. Courtois

Fifth Advisor

Sebastien Lépine

Abstract

The past 20 years of observations have revealed correlations between supermassive black holes (SMBHs) and large scale galaxy properties. These correlations are generally interpreted to be the signature of coevolution between galaxies and black holes, therefore accurate measurements of the properties on which these correlations are constructed is crucial for understanding galaxy-black hole evolution over cosmic time. We first present HI 21 cm spectroscopy for 31 AGN host galaxies with direct black hole mass (MBH) measurements from reverberation mapping (RM), 12 of which are the first published detections at 21 cm. We measure emission-line fluxes, widths, and recessional velocities from which we derive HI mass, gas mass (MGAS), and redshift. Combining MGAS with stellar mass (MSTARS) allows the baryonic mass (MBARY) to be estimated. We then combine the emission line measurements with Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based optical and near-infrared images to measure Tully-Fisher distances to 24 of the 31 galaxies, 14 of which are the first reported distances independent of redshift. We estimate dynamical mass (MDYN) within the HI radius, and a comparison to MBARY constrains the dark matter mass (MDM). We find significant correlations between MBH and MBARY, MDYN, and MDM, suggesting black hole-galaxy connections on scales larger than commonly considered. Finally, we present preliminary results of dynamical modeling of the broad line regions (BLRs) of five AGNs, four of which are the first reported. Direct modeling of the continuum light curve and broad emission lines yields constraints on BLR geometry and kinematics in addition to constraints on MBH that do not depend on the scale factor required by traditional RM methods. This work presents measurements of fundamental properties of RM AGNs and their host galaxies that may serve as important tools for future analyses devoted to furthering our understanding of black hole-galaxy coevolution.

DOI

https://doi.org/10.57709/28796814

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