Galactic star formation and supermassive black hole masses

Astronomers studying how star formation evolved over cosmic time have discovered that quiescent galaxies (galaxies that are currently not making many new stars) frequently have active galactic nuclei. These AGN accrete material onto hot circumnuclear disks, and the resultant energy is released in bursts of radiation, or as jets of particles moving at close to the speed of light. The suspicion is that these outbursts drive gas outflows over thousands of light-years, disrupting and dispersing pote...