Abstract：The determination of the mass of black holes in our universe is crucial to understand their physics nature but is a great challenge to scientists. In this paper I briefly review some methods that are currently used to estimate the mass of black holes, especially those in X-ray binary systems and in galactic nuclei. Our recent progress in improving the mass estimates of supermasssive black holes in active galactic nuclei by involving some empirical relations is presented. Finally I point out the similarities and common physics in Galactic black hole X-ray binaries and active galactic nuclei, and demonstrate that the black hole mass estimation is very much helpful to understand the accretion physics around black holes.
出版日期: 2006-06-05
引用本文:
. Weighing black holes in the universe[J]. Frontiers of Physics in China - Selected Publications from Chinese Universities, 2006, 1(2): 125-134.
WU Xue-bing. Weighing black holes in the universe. Front. Phys. , 2006, 1(2): 125-134.
