A Quintet of Black Hole Mass Determinations
Abstract
We report five new measurements of central black hole masses based on Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph and Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 observations with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and on axisymmetric, three-integral, Schwarzschild orbit-library kinematic models. We selected a sample of galaxies within a narrow range in velocity dispersion that cover a range of galaxy parameters (including Hubble type and core/power-law surface density profile) where we expected to be able to resolve the galaxy's sphere of influence based on the predicted value of the black hole mass from the M-σ relation. We find masses for the following galaxies: NGC 3585, M BH = 3.4+1.5 -0.6 × 108 M sun; NGC 3607, M BH = 1.2+0.4 -0.4 × 108 M sun; NGC 4026, M BH = 2.1+0.7 -0.4 × 108 M sun; and NGC 5576, M BH = 1.8+0.3 -0.4 × 108 M sun, all significantly excluding M BH = 0. For NGC 3945, M BH = 9+17 -21 × 106 M sun, which is significantly below predictions from M-σ and M-L relations and consistent with M BH = 0, though the presence of a double bar in this galaxy may present problems for our axisymmetric code.
Based on observations made with the Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. These observations are associated with GO proposals 5999, 6587, 6633, 7468, and 9107.- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- April 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1088/0004-637X/695/2/1577
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0901.4162
- Bibcode:
- 2009ApJ...695.1577G
- Keywords:
-
- black hole physics;
- galaxies: general;
- galaxies: nuclei;
- stellar dynamics;
- Astrophysics - Galaxy Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Extragalactic Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 15 pages, 21 figures, 13 tables. Accepted by ApJ