Verifying the intermediate mass black hole nature of the ultraluminous X-ray source HLX-1 associated with ESO 243-49
Abstract
We request two deep radio observations of the ultra-luminous X-ray source HLX-1 with the ATCA, to verify its intermediate mass black hole nature. The maximum X-ray luminosity implies a minimum black hole mass of 500 Msun, alluding to a much sought after intermediate mass black hole. HLX-1 is currently one of the best candidates for an intermediate mass black hole, the possible building blocks of supermassive black holes found in the centres of many galaxies. A detection in radio wavelengths will allow us to constrain the mass and therefore confirm the intermediate mass black hole nature. These observations will be made when the source transits between the low/hard state to the high/soft state. During these transitions, Galactic black hole binaries have been shown to exhibit radio flares that are a factor ten brighter than the non-flaring radio emission. These NAPA observations will be triggered using weekly X-ray observations with Swift that will reveal when the transition between the states occurs and provide us with the simultaneous X-ray observations necessary to constrain the mass.
- Publication:
-
ATNF Proposal
- Pub Date:
- October 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010atnf.prop.3642W
- Keywords:
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- compact binaries and/or black-holes;
- ATCA