Very Large Telescope Kinematics for Omega Centauri: Further Support for A Central Black Hole

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Date

2010-08

Authors

Noyola, Eva
Gebhardt, Karl
Kissler-Patig, Markus
Lutzgendorf, Nora
Jalali, Behrang
de Zeeuw, P. T.
Baumgardt, Holger

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Abstract

The Galactic globular cluster. Centauri is a prime candidate for hosting an intermediate- mass black hole. Recent measurements lead to contradictory conclusions on this issue. We use VLT- FLAMES to obtain new integrated spectra for the central region of. Centauri. We combine these data with existing measurements of the radial velocity dispersion profile taking into account a new derived center from kinematics and two different centers from the literature. The data support previous measurements performed for a smaller field of view and show a discrepancy with the results from a large proper motion data set. We see a rise in the radial velocity dispersion in the central region to 22.8 +/- 1.2 km s(-1), which provides a strong sign for a central black hole. Isotropic dynamical models for. Centauri imply black hole masses ranging from 3.0 x 10(4) to 5.2 x 10(4) M(circle dot) depending on the center. The best-fitted mass is (4.7 +/- 1.0) x 10(4) M(circle dot).

Department

Astronomy

Description

Keywords

black hole physics, globular clusters: individual (omega centauri), stars: kinematics and dynamics, hubble-space-telescope, double main-sequence, early-type galaxies, globular-clusters, velocity dispersion, stellar dynamics, proper, motions, star-clusters, mass, models, astronomy & astrophysics

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Citation

Noyola, Eva, Karl Gebhardt, Markus Kissler-Patig, Nora Lützgendorf, Behrang Jalali, P. Tim De Zeeuw, and Holger Baumgardt. "VERY LARGE TELESCOPE KINEMATICS FOR OMEGA CENTAURI: FURTHER SUPPORT FOR A CENTRAL BLACK HOLEBased on observations collected at the European Organization for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile (085. D-0928)." The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 719, No. 1 (Aug., 2010): L60.

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/2152/43040

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