Weighing the Intermediate Mass Black Hole in Omega Centauri

Anil C. Seth, Mayte Alfaro-Cuello, Holger Baumgardt, Andrea Bellini, Callie Clontz, Stefan Dreizler, Anja Feldmeier-Krause, Maximilian Häberle, Nikolay Kacharov, Sebastian Kamann, Mattia Libralato, Antonino P. Milone, Nadine Neumayer, Renuka Pechetti, Matthew Whitaker, Glenn van de Ven

Publications: Contribution to journalArticlePeer Reviewed

Abstract

We propose for deep NIRSpec IFU observations to follow up the detection of an intermediate mass black hole (IMBH) based on proper motion measurements of 7 fast-moving stars in the central 3'' of Omega Centauri. These stars place a firm lower limit of 8000 solar masses on the black hole. This unique black hole is simultaneously (1) the most robust detection of any IMBH, (2) the nearest massive black hole, and (3) only the second with a resolved system of orbiting stars. Only with JWST NIRSpec IFU can we simultaneously measure the line-of-sight velocities of the stars and make the deepest available search for the expected accretion emission from the black hole. We will obtain line-of-sight velocities for ~70 stars, including the first measurements for all four fast moving stars within the central 1". In addition we will identify 3.1+/-1.7 additional fast moving stars. These measurements will provide 3D velocity information crucial for the precise measurement of the IMBH mass based on the orbits of the stars. The proposed observations will also be sensitive to black hole accretion ~100x fainter than the upper limits placed by deep X-ray observations. Detection of any accretion source would identify the exact location of the black hole and reveal a black hole accreting orders of magnitude more faintly than any known.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberID. #5137
JournalJWST Proposal
VolumeCycle 3
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2024

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 103003 Astronomy
  • 103004 Astrophysics

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