your ID: 0180 
First Name: Jenny 
Last Name: Greene 
Affiliation: Princeton 
Title: Local Active BH Mass Functions 
Authors: Jenny E. Greene, Luis C. Ho 
Topic: 1 
Session: oral 
Abstract: While black holes (BHs) are apparently a ubiquitous component of the nuclei of local spheroids, their role in galaxy evolution remains largely unknown.  The tight correlations between galaxy spheroid properties and BH mass provides an important boundary condition for models of the coevolution of BHs and galaxies.  Here we consider another important boundary condition: the local mass function of broad-line active galaxies.  We use standard virial mass estimation techniques to examine the distribution of BH masses and accretion rates for active galaxies in the local universe.  Comparisons with local galaxy luminosity functions and star-formation rate distributions allow us to compare average current growth rates of galaxies and BHs as a function of mass.  We also compare the distribution of BH masses in local broad and narrow-line objects, and find that both populations have a characteristic mass of $\\sim 10^7$~\\msun.  Most importantly, this is the first BH mass fu! 
nction to consider BH with masses below $10^6$~\\msun.  The space density of this important population allows us to place constraints on potential mechanisms for the creation of seed BHs in the early universe.