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arXiv · astro-ph/9706246

Is there really a super-massive black hole in M87?

A. Marconi·D. J. Axon·F. D. Macchetto·A. Capetti·W. B. Sparks·P. Crane
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Abstract

We present the first HST long-slit spectrum of a gaseous disk around a candidate super-massive black-hole. The results of this study on the kinematics of the gaseous disk in M87 are a considerable improvement in both spatial resolution and accuracy over previous observations and requires a projected mass of M_{BH}(sin i)^2 = (2.0+/- 0.5) 10^9 M_{sun} (M_{BH}=3.2 10^9 M_{sun} for a disk inclination i=52deg) concentrated within a sphere whose radius is less than 0.05" (3.5 pc) to explain the observed rotation curve. The kinematics of the ionized gas is well described by a thin disk in keplerian motion. A lower limit to the mass-to-light ratio of this region is M/L_{V}~110, significantly strengthening the claim that this mass is due to the presence of a central black-hole in M87.

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A. Marconi, D. J. Axon, F. D. Macchetto, A. Capetti, W. B. Sparks, P. Crane. 1997-06-24. Is there really a super-massive black hole in M87?. https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras%2F289.4.l21

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