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Redshift evolution of the intrinsic scatter in the MBH–M* relation

Determine whether the intrinsic scatter (σμ) of the supermassive black hole mass–stellar mass (MBH–M*) relation evolves with redshift and quantitatively characterize any such evolution.

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Background

The paper explores whether a non-causal ‘cosmic averaging’ scenario via mergers could explain the observed scatter, simulating σμ evolution under merger-driven growth and comparing to constraints from this and prior work.

Due to current sample size and uncertainties, the analysis cannot firmly establish the redshift dependence of σμ, leaving its evolution unresolved.

References

However, due to the large uncertainty in our results, we cannot draw any definitive conclusions regarding the redshift evolution of op.

— The $M_{\rm BH}-M_*$ relation up to $z\sim2$ through decomposition of COSMOS-Web NIRCam images (2401.13742 - Tanaka et al., 24 Jan 2024) in Section 6.2 (Scatter evolution and cosmic averaging)