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Hierarchical cosmogonies can consistently explain the evolution of the quasar population if quasars are short-lived and supermassive black holes form fast in the newly-formed nuclei of dark-matter haloes. Here we investigate the relevant physical processes and show that such a fast formation is plausible. The angular-momentum and the gas-supply problem for the formation/feeding of a supermassive black hole are strongly alleviated compared to a scenario in which gas is transported to the centre by tidal interaction of ready-assembled galaxies. The baryonic component of the newly-formed nucleus will cool catastrophically and settle into a self-gravitating angular momentum-supported disc of radius ∼ 100 pc. Gravitational instabilities and/or supernovae-induced turbulence will transport the gas further to the centre within less than 108 yr. In nuclei of very massive dark matter haloes with sufficiently deep potential well to retain the gas against feedback processes from massive stars and supernovae, concentration of a major fraction of the gas component of the nucleus within the central 1 pc and subsequent formation of a black hole seem unavoidable. A coeval short phase of efficient star formation could explain the observed high metallicities of quasars.
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