Intermediate Mass Black Holes in Star Clusters: The Case of ω Centauri (NGC 5139)

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The main aim of this work is to determine whether the star cluster ω Centauri: hosts an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH), as well as to investigate the dynamics of its central region. We perform direct N-body simulations on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and run orbit-based models which allow us to follow the temporal evolution of ω Centauri and to study its orbital structure. To this aim, we take two-dimensional integral field spectroscopic data for a few Galactic globular clusters, including ω Centauri, with FLAMES at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) on Paranal in Chile. In particular, we are interested in constraining the mass of a possible IMBH in the center of our proposed star clusters. IMBHs have recently received growing attention as these objects could play an important role in the building of nuclear clusters and the formation and growth of super-massive black holes. Understanding the nature of IMBHs, in particular for masses < 10^5M&sun; (i.e. at the low mass end of the black hole mass versus velocity dispersion correlation) is a critical step towards a better understanding of the dynamics of their hosts: massive star clusters or dwarf galaxy nuclei. We focus on one of the best studied cases to date: ω Centauri. This cluster is one of the most important targets in this context as it is suspected to be the stripped nucleus of a dwarf galaxy and hence to represent a transition object between globular clusters and nuclear clusters. >From our observations, we confirm the measured rise in the central velocity dispersion of this cluster up to 23 km/s as the signature of a central IMBH. On the modelling side, we could well reproduce the observed kinematics and also the light profile of this cluster applying both Jeans spherical isotropic models as well as evolutionary N-body simulations containing a central 5 x 10^4M&sun; IMBH. In addition, we perform axisymmetric orbit-based models that explore the anisotropy profile and therefore orbital structure of our star cluster. The preliminary result of this method also suggest a presence of 5 x 10^4M&sun; IMBH. We propose some further detailed work which could set tighter constraints on the initial conditions of ω Centauri as well as on the existence of a central IMBH.

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