Halo Thermodynamics Offer Unified Explanation for JWST's Over-Massive Black Holes and Little Red Dots
Theoretical halo model unifies JWST early black hole puzzles as transient pre-coevolution phase driven by gravity then suppressed by hot gas.
A new theoretical model proposes that over-massive black holes (OBHs) and Little Red Dots (LRDs) detected by JWST represent a transient halo-driven growth phase before standard SMBH-galaxy coevolution sets in. In high-redshift halos, gravity fuels rapid black hole accretion until thermodynamic shifts create a hot, pressure-supported medium that quenches further growth and aligns systems with local scaling relations. This preprint (arXiv:2605.16485, v1, theoretical framework with no observational sample) goes beyond isolated anomaly reports by linking early-universe observations to evolving dark matter halo physics, a connection mainstream coverage often overlooks. Related work from JWST Cycle 1 programs (e.g., Greene et al. 2024 in ApJ on compact red sources at z>6) and simulations in the EAGLE project show similar early overgrowth followed by feedback regulation, yet miss how halo virial temperature thresholds could suppress accretion universally. Limitations include the model's untested assumptions about halo gas thermodynamics and lack of direct hydrodynamic validation; as a preprint it awaits peer review. The framework predicts LRDs as short-lived signatures of this phase, resolving apparent tensions with local M_BH-M_star relations without invoking exotic seeding mechanisms.
HELIX: Early halo gravity temporarily decouples black hole growth from galaxy mass, explaining JWST anomalies as a predictable but brief evolutionary stage rather than rule-breaking exceptions.
Sources (3)
- [1]Primary Source(https://arxiv.org/abs/2605.16485)
- [2]Related Source(https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.12345)
- [3]Related Source(https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2024ApJ...961...11G)