Sgr A* and its siblings in nearby galaxies

Abstract

We have proposed previously that Sgr A* is simply a scaled down AGN with a black hole, an accretion disk and a radio jet operating at a very low power. It appears as if M81* - the nuclear source in the nearby galaxy M81 - is an ideal laboratory to study a Sgr A*-like source at a higher power level. The jet/disk model can explain M81* in great detail with no basic changes in the model parameters other than the accretion rate. Radio cores in other LINERs may be explained by the same model and they appear to be low-power counterparts to radio-loud quasar cores. For Sgr A*, models without a supermassive black hole are facing difficulties - some of which are discussed here, but a persistent puzzle in any scenario are the non-detections and low flux limits for Sgr A* from IR to x-rays. Especially the IR limits are a threat to accretion models. I discuss whether a thin molecular disk (as seen in NGC 4258) around Sgr A* could intercept infalling material before it reaches the black hole.