Which of the following is evidence for supermassive black holes in active galaxies?
A)the discovery of powerful jets coming from a compact core
B)rapid changes in the luminosity of the galaxy nucleus
C)quasars emit approximately equal power at all wavelengths from infrared to gamma rays
D)very high speed orbital motions around galactic nuclei
E)all of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All four options are evidence for the presence of supermassive black holes in active galaxies. A) Powerful jets emanating from a compact core is clear evidence of the presence of a supermassive black hole. B) Rapid changes in the luminosity of the galaxy nucleus can occur when material falls into the black hole and releases a burst of energy. C) Quasars are known to emit radiation from infrared to gamma rays, which is strong evidence for the presence of a supermassive black hole. D) High-speed orbital motions in the central regions of galaxies are also indicative of the presence of a supermassive black hole. Therefore, all of the options are evidence for the presence of supermassive black holes in active galaxies.

Which of the Following Is Evidence for Supermassive Black Holes