Is There A Black Hole In NGC 4382?

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Date

2011-11

Authors

Gultekin, Kayhan
Richstone, Douglas O.
Gebhardt, Karl
Faber, S. M.
Lauer, Tod R.
Bender, Ralf
Kormendy, John
Pinkney, Jason

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Abstract

We present Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph observations of the galaxy NGC 4382 (M85) and axisymmetric models of the galaxy to determine mass-to-light ratio (Gamma(V)) and central black hole mass (M-BH). We find Gamma(V) = 3.74 +/- 0.1 M-circle dot/L-circle dot and M-BH = 1.3(-1.2)(+5.2) x 10(7) M-circle dot at an assumed distance of 17.9 Mpc, consistent with no black hole. The upper limit, M-BH < 9.6 x 10(7) M-circle dot (2 sigma) or M-BH < 1.4 x 10(8)(3 sigma), is consistent with the current M-sigma relation, which predicts M-BH = 8.8 x 10(7) M-circle dot at sigma(e) = 182 km s(-1), but low for the current M-L relation, which predicts M-BH = 7.8 x 10(8) M-circle dot at L-V = 8.9 x 10(10) L-circle dot, (V). HST images show the nucleus to be double, suggesting the presence of a nuclear eccentric stellar disk, analogous to the Tremaine disk in M31. This conclusion is supported by the HST velocity dispersion profile. Despite the presence of this non-axisymmetric feature and evidence of a recent merger, we conclude that the reliability of our black hole mass determination is not hindered. The inferred low black hole mass may explain the lack of nuclear activity.

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G�ltekin, Kayhan, Douglas O. Richstone, Karl Gebhardt, S. M. Faber, Tod R. Lauer, Ralf Bender, John Kormendy, and Jason Pinkney. "Is there a black hole in NGC 4382?." The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 741, No. 1 (Nov., 2011): 38.