Abstract
Fully general relativistic calculations of the gravitational collapse of collisionless equilibrium systems have recently been carried out by Shapiro and Teukolsky. We apply the results of such calculations, together with recent Newtonian Fokker-Planck calculations of the ''gravothermal catastrophe,'' to the dynamical evolution of a dense cluster of compact stars--neutron stars or stellar mass black holes. A plausible scenario for the formation of supermassive black holes via the collapse of such clusters embedded in evolved galactic nuclei is described. The process leads naturally to the birth of supermassive black holes of the ''right size'' to explain quasars and AGN:10/sup 6/< or approx. =M/M/sub sun/< or approx. =10/sup 9/.
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