<p>What is the most accurate method for SMBH mass estimation? In the literature I could find 5 methods : (1) <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2003ApJ...589L..21M" rel="noreferrer">Marconi &amp; Hunt 2003</a>, (2) Hu 2008, (3) <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009ApJ...698..198G" rel="noreferrer">Gultekin et al. 2009</a>, (4) Graham 2007, (5) <a href="http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002MNRAS.331..795M" rel="noreferrer">McLure &amp; Dunlop 2002</a>. Please tell me which is more accurate? Also, can you suggest other methods and concern references? Thank you.    </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-03T01:18:25.367Z
Could you link the references?
Py-ser
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-10T04:34:58.850Z
Please, cold you summarize the methods that you found? Are you just talking about formulas, or actual methods? I do not think we have so many methods for SMBH mass estimation...
Py-ser
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-10T08:40:03.307Z
The three that have been linked so far look like calibrations of $M-\sigma$ or $M-L$ relations (or both). So I don't think any is fundamentally more accurate than any other. Not sure about the two that aren't linked (Hu and Graham). I echo @Py-ser's requests for a short explanation of each method...
Warrick
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-11-10T08:43:50.117Z
Actually, in one of those papers `Gultekin +04` they mention `No other single parameter or combination of parameters of the host galaxy has been found to predict the BH mass with less scatter than stellar velocity dispersion`, from which my request for a better explanation, though suspecting the OP isn't following the thread anymore.
Py-ser
<supermassive-black-hole><mass>
Super massive black hole mass estimation in literature
Satish Sonkamble
# Super massive black hole mass estimation in literature

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-11-02)

What is the most accurate method for SMBH mass estimation? In the literature I could find 5 methods : (1) [Marconi & Hunt 2003](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2003ApJ...589L..21M), (2) Hu 2008, (3) [Gultekin et al. 2009](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2009ApJ...698..198G), (4) Graham 2007, (5) [McLure & Dunlop 2002](http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2002MNRAS.331..795M). Please tell me which is more accurate? Also, can you suggest other methods and concern references? Thank you.

**Tags:** supermassive-black-hole, mass
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Could you link the references?  
> **username_1**: Please, cold you summarize the methods that you found? Are you just talking about formulas, or actual methods? I do not think we have so many methods for SMBH mass estimation...  
> **username_2**: The three that have been linked so far look like calibrations of $M-\sigma$ or $M-L$ relations (or both). So I don't think any is fundamentally more accurate than any other. Not sure about the two that aren't linked (Hu and Graham). I echo @Py-ser's requests for a short explanation of each method...  
> **username_1**: Actually, in one of those papers `Gultekin +04` they mention `No other single parameter or combination of parameters of the host galaxy has been found to predict the BH mass with less scatter than stellar velocity dispersion`, from which my request for a better explanation, though suspecting the OP isn't following the thread anymore.  

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## 0 answers

