Searching with the Large Binocular Telescope for Accreting Supermassive Black Holes in Bulgeless Galaxies
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that supermassive black holes are created and evolve in bulgeless galaxies, revealing pathways for merger free, secular growth. Constraints on the fraction of bulgeless galaxies that host an AGN remain, however, extremely limited. Following the recent discovery of a large population of bulgeless galaxies with red mid-infrared colors, that are highly suggestive of heated dust by powerful accreting massive black holes, we have employed the Large Binocular Telescope to investigate the near-IR spectra of six of these systems. We present here the data and measurements of near-infrared hydrogen molecular and recombination lines. We find no evidence for broad components of the Paschen Alpha emission lines, suggesting the AGNs are either too weak or too absorbed to be detected. Based on new estimates of extinction and comparisons with optical measurements we discuss the likelihood of these systems being heavily obscured AGN or galactic nuclei with vigorous, yet dust embedded star formation.
- Publication:
-
American Astronomical Society Meeting Abstracts #227
- Pub Date:
- January 2016
- Bibcode:
- 2016AAS...22724345F