Astrophysics: Self-Gravitating AGN Disks Show Universal Effective Temperature in Optical Continuum, Applied to ‘Little Red Dots’
A paper submitted to arXiv on February 9, 2026, delves into the spectral properties of self-gravitating accretion disks in Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN). The research reveals a surprising universality in the effective temperature of the optical continuum for AGN disks powered by stellar objects. This finding is crucial for determining the optical luminosity, independent of specific disk physical conditions.
This universality sheds new light on the understanding of ‘Little Red Dots’ (LRDs), faint, red objects observed at the centers of distant galaxies. By applying the concept of a universal effective temperature to observational data of LRDs, researchers suggest the possibility of more accurate estimations of their luminosity and mass. This discovery offers a novel observational and theoretical approach to unraveling the mechanisms of galaxy formation and evolution in the distant universe.
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