Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astronomy
Scientific paper
Jan 2010
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010aas...21543513b&link_type=abstract
American Astronomical Society, AAS Meeting #215, #435.13; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 42, p.381
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astronomy
Scientific paper
Most elliptical and bulged spiral galaxies contain a nuclear black hole having a mass that correlates with the bulge velocity dispersion (σ). This M-σ relation suggests there is a strong link between the formation of the nuclear black hole and the formation of its host galaxy. The relationship, however, is poorly constrained for low-mass (< 107.5 solar mass) black holes, where there are few measurements. In addition, optically measured BH masses can be uncertain by a factor of a few. Water vapor masers in the nuclei of AGN can trace the rotation curve of gas directly in the black hole's sphere of influence, and provide precise black hole masses (uncertainty < 20%). We are mapping circumnuclear masers in nearby active galaxies with the goal of assembling a statistically meaningful set of maser-determined black hole masses. In addition to constraining the M-σ relation at low mass, our observations will also help calibrate optical measurements of black hole masses. Here we present recent VLBI maser maps and black hole masses measured as part of this program.
Braatz James A. III
Condon James J.
Greene Joshua
Henkel Carsten
Impellizzeri Violetta
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