Intermediate-mass black holes in Galactic globular clusters
Abstract
Over the last few years, different observations have suggested the existence of intermediate-mass (~103 M⊙) black holes in the centers of globular clusters. However, the issue is still a matter of debate, as current observations have alternative explanations. We previously developed a hydrodynamical model for the interstellar medium in these systems to explain the luminosity of the central X-ray source found in NGC 6388, assuming a black hole accreting from the insterstellar medium. Here, we explore the predictions of our model regarding the flow of the interstellar matter in the inner cluster regions and find that the density and velocity profiles could help to determine the presence of a central black hole as well as its mass.
- Publication:
-
Star Clusters: Basic Galactic Building Blocks Throughout Time and Space
- Pub Date:
- January 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1017/S1743921309991797
- Bibcode:
- 2010IAUS..266..491P
- Keywords:
-
- ISM: kinematics and dynamics;
- accretion;
- accretion disks