arXiv subjects

John J. Salzer

Publications and source records attributed to John J. Salzer.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

arXiv2014

ALFALFA Discovery of the Nearby Gas-rich Dwarf Galaxy Leo P. V. Neutral Gas Dynamics and Kinematics

We present new HI spectral line imaging of the extremely metal-poor, star-forming dwarf irregular galaxy Leo P. Our HI images probe the global neutral gas properties and the local conditions of the interstellar medium (ISM). The HI morphology is slightly elongated along the optical major-axis. We do not find obvious signatures of interaction or infalling gas at large spatial scales. The neutral gas disk shows obvious rotation, although the velocity dispersion is comparable to the rotation velocity. The rotation amplitude is estimated to be V_c = 15 +/- 5 km/s. Within the HI radius probed by these observations, the mass ratio of gas to stars is roughly 2:1, while the ratio of the total mass to the baryonic mass is ~15:1. We use this information to place Leo P on the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation, testing the baryonic content of cosmic structures in a sparsely populated portion of parameter space that has hitherto been occupied primarily by dwarf spheroidal galaxies. We detect the signature of two temperature components in the neutral ISM of Leo P; the cold and warm components have characteristic velocity widths of 4.2 +/- 0.9 km/s and 10.1 +/- 1.2 km/s, corresponding to kinetic temperatures of ~1100 K and ~6200 K, respectively. The cold HI component is unresolved at a physical resolution of 200 pc. The highest HI surface densities are observed in close physical proximity to the single HII region. A comparison of the neutral gas properties of Leo P with other extremely metal-deficient (XMD) galaxies reveals that Leo P has the lowest neutral gas mass of any known XMD, and that the dynamical mass of Leo P is more than two orders of magnitude smaller than any known XMD with comparable metallicity.

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arXiv2014

Discovery of a Gas-Rich Companion to the Extremely Metal-Poor Galaxy DDO 68

We present HI spectral-line imaging of the extremely metal-poor galaxy DDO 68. This system has a nebular oxygen abundance of only 3% Z$_{\odot}$, making it one of the most metal-deficient galaxies known in the local volume. Surprisingly, DDO 68 is a relatively massive and luminous galaxy for its metal content, making it a significant outlier in the mass-metallicity and luminosity-metallicity relationships. The origin of such a low oxygen abundance in DDO 68 presents a challenge for models of the chemical evolution of galaxies. One possible solution to this problem is the infall of pristine neutral gas, potentially initiated during a gravitational interaction. Using archival HI spectral-line imaging obtained with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array, we have discovered a previously unknown companion of DDO 68. This low-mass (M$_{\rm HI}$ $=$ 2.8$\times$10$^{7}$ M$_{\odot}$), recently star-forming (SFR$_{\rm FUV}$ $=$ 1.4$\times$10$^{-3}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, SFR$_{\rm Hα}$ $<$ 7$\times$10$^{-5}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$) companion has the same systemic velocity as DDO 68 (V$_{\rm sys}$ $=$ 506 km s$^{-1}$; D $=$ 12.74$\pm$0.27 Mpc) and is located at a projected distance of 42 kpc. New HI maps obtained with the 100m Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope provide evidence that DDO 68 and this companion are gravitationally interacting at the present time. Low surface brightness HI gas forms a bridge between these objects.

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arXiv2014

Composition of an Emission Line System in Black Hole Host Globular Cluster RZ2109

We present an analysis of optical spectra from the globular cluster RZ2109 in NGC4472, which hosts the first unambiguous globular cluster black hole. We use these spectra to determine the elemental composition of the emission line system associated with this source, and to constrain the age and metallicity of the host globular cluster. For the emission line system of RZ2109, our analysis indicates the [O III]5007 equivalent width is 33.82 +- 0.39 Ang and the H beta equivalent width is 0.32 +- 0.32 Ang , producing a formal [O III]5007/H beta emission line ratio of 106 for a 3200 km/s measurement aperture covering the full velocity width of the [O~III]5007 line. Within a narrower 600 \kms aperture covering the highest luminosity velocity structure in the line complex, we find O III]5007/H beta = 62. The measured O III]5007/H beta ratios are significantly higher than can be produced in radiative models of the emission line region with solar composition, and the confidence interval limits exclude all but models which have gas masses much larger than those for a single star. Therefore, we conclude that the region from which the [O~III]5007 emission originates is hydrogen-depleted relative to solar composition gas. This finding is consistent with emission from an accretion-powered outflow driven by a hydrogen-depleted donor star, such as a white dwarf, being accreted onto a black hole.

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arXiv2014

Distance Determinations to SHIELD Galaxies from HST Imaging

The Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarf galaxies (SHIELD) is an on-going multi-wavelength program to characterize the gas, star formation, and evolution in gas-rich, very low-mass galaxies. The galaxies were selected from the first ~10% of the HI ALFALFA survey based on their inferred low HI mass and low baryonic mass, and all systems have recent star formation. Thus, the SHIELD sample probes the faint end of the galaxy luminosity function for star-forming galaxies. Here, we measure the distances to the 12 SHIELD galaxies to be between 5-12 Mpc by applying the tip of the red giant method to the resolved stellar populations imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope. Based on these distances, the HI masses in the sample range from $4\times10^6$ to $6\times10^7$ M$_{\odot}$, with a median HI mass of $1\times10^7$ M$_{\odot}$. The TRGB distances are up to 73% farther than flow-model estimates in the ALFALFA catalog. Because of the relatively large uncertainties of flow model distances, we are biased towards selecting galaxies from the ALFALFA catalog where the flow model underestimates the true distances. The measured distances allow for an assessment of the native environments around the sample members. Five of the galaxies are part of the NGC 672 and NGC 784 groups, which together constitute a single structure. One galaxy is part of a larger linear ensemble of 9 systems that stretches 1.6 Mpc from end to end. Two galaxies reside in regions with 1-4 neighbors, and four galaxies are truly isolated with no known system identified within a radius of 1 Mpc.

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arXiv2013

ALFALFA Discovery of the Nearby Gas-Rich Dwarf Galaxy Leo P. IV. Distance Measurement from LBT Optical Imaging

Leo P is a low-luminosity dwarf galaxy discovered through the blind HI Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) survey. The HI and follow-up optical observations have shown that Leo P is a gas-rich dwarf galaxy with both active star formation and an underlying older population, as well as an extremely low oxygen abundance. Here, we measure the distance to Leo P by applying the tip of the red giant branch (TRGB) distance method to photometry of the resolved stellar population from new Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) V and I band imaging. We measure a distance modulus of 26.19 (+0.17/-0.50) mag corresponding to a distance of 1.72 (+0.14/-0.40) Mpc. Although our photometry reaches 3 magnitudes below the TRGB, the sparseness of the red giant branch (RGB) yields higher uncertainties on the lower limit of the distance. Leo P is outside the Local Group with a distance and velocity consistent with the local Hubble flow. While located in a very low-density environment, Leo P lies within ~0.5 Mpc of a loose association of dwarf galaxies which include NGC 3109, Antlia, Sextans A, and Sextans B, and 1.1 Mpc away from its next nearest neighbor, Leo A. Leo P is one of the lowest metallicity star-forming galaxies known in the nearby universe, comparable in metallicity to I Zw 18 and DDO 68, but with stellar characteristics similar to dwarf spheriodals (dSphs) in the Local Volume such as Carina, Sextans, and Leo II. Given its physical properties and isolation, Leo P may provide an evolutionary link between gas-rich dwarf irregular galaxies and dSphs that have fallen into a Local Group environment and been stripped of their gas.

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arXiv2013

ALFALFA Discovery of the Nearby Gas-Rich Dwarf Galaxy Leo~P. II. Optical Imaging Observations

We present results from ground-based optical imaging of a low-mass dwarf galaxy discovered by the ALFALFA 21-cm HI survey. Broadband (BVR) data obtained with the WIYN 3.5-m telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) are used to construct color-magnitude diagrams of the galaxy's stellar population down to V_0 ~ 25. We also use narrowband H-alpha imaging from the KPNO 2.1-m telescope to identify an HII region in the galaxy. We use these data to constrain the distance to the galaxy to be between 1.5 and 2.0 Mpc. This places Leo P within the Local Volume but beyond the Local Group. Its properties are extreme: it is the lowest-mass system known that contains significant amounts of gas and is currently forming stars.

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arXiv2013

ALFALFA Discovery of the Nearby Gas-Rich Dwarf Galaxy Leo P. I. HI Observations

The discovery of a previously unknown 21cm HI line source identified as an ultra-compact high velocity cloud in the ALFALFA survey is reported. The HI detection is barely resolved by the Arecibo 305m telescope ~4' beam and has a narrow HI linewidth (HPFW of 24 km/s). Further HI observations at Arecibo and with the VLA corroborate the ALFALFA HI detection, provide an estimate of the HI radius, ~1' at the 5 x 10^19 cm^-2 isophote, and show the cloud to exhibit rotation with an amplitude of ~9.0 +/- 1.5 km/s. In other papers, Rhode et al. (2013) show the HI source to have a resolved stellar counterpart and ongoing star forming activity, while Skillman et al. (2013) reveal it as having extremely low metallicity: 12 + log(O/H) = 7.16 +/- 0.04. The HI mass to stellar mass ratio of the object is found to be 2.6. We use the Tully-Fisher template relation in its baryonic form (McGaugh 2012) to obtain a distance estimate D = 1.3 (+0.9,-0.5) Mpc. Additional constraints on the distance are also provided by the optical data of Rhode et al. (2013) and McQuinn et al. (private communication), both indicating a distance in the range of 1.5 to 2.0 Mpc. The three estimates are compatible within their errors. The object appears to be located beyond the dynamical boundaries of, but still in close proximity to the Local Group. Its pristine properties are consistent with the sedate environment of its location. At a nominal distance of 1.75 Mpc, it would have an HI mass of ~1.0 x 10^6 Msun, a stellar mass of ~3.6 x 10^5 Msun, and a dynamical mass within the HI radius of ~1.5 x 10^7 Msun. This discovery supports the idea that optically faint - or altogether dark - low mass halos may be detectable through their non-stellar baryons.

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arXiv2013

ALFALFA Discovery of the Nearby Gas-Rich Dwarf Galaxy Leo~P. III. An Extremely Metal Deficient Galaxy

We present KPNO 4-m and LBT/MODS spectroscopic observations of an HII region in the nearby dwarf irregular galaxy Leo P discovered recently in the Arecibo ALFALFA survey. In both observations, we are able to accurately measure the temperature sensitive [O III] 4363 Angstrom line and determine a "direct" oxygen abundance of 12 + log(O/H) = 7.17 +/- 0.04. Thus, Leo P is an extremely metal deficient (XMD) galaxy, and, indeed, one of the most metal deficient star-forming galaxies ever observed. For its estimated luminosity, Leo P is consistent with the relationship between luminosity and oxygen abundance seen in nearby dwarf galaxies. Leo P shows normal alpha element abundance ratios (Ne/O, S/O, and Ar/O) when compared to other XMD galaxies, but elevated N/O, consistent with the "delayed release" hypothesis for N/O abundances. We derive a helium mass fraction of 0.2509 +0.0184 -0.0123 which compares well with the WMAP + BBN prediction of 0.2483 +/- 0.0002 for the primordial helium abundance. We suggest that surveys of very low mass galaxies compete well with emission line galaxy surveys for finding XMD galaxies. It is possible that XMD galaxies may be divided into two classes: the relatively rare XMD emission line galaxies which are associated with starbursts triggered by infall of low-metallicity gas and the more common, relatively quiescent XMD galaxies like Leo P, with very low chemical abundances due to their intrinsically small masses.

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arXiv2013

Exploring the Interstellar Media of Optically Compact Dwarf Galaxies

We present new Very Large Array HI spectral line, archival Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and archival Spitzer Space Telescope imaging of eight star-forming blue compact dwarf galaxies that were selected to be optically compact (optical radii less than 1 kpc). These systems have faint blue absolute magnitudes (M_B >= -17), ongoing star formation (based on emission-line selection by the H alpha or [OIII] lines), and are nearby (mean velocity = 3315 km/s = 45 Mpc). One galaxy in the sample, ADBS 113845+2008, is found to have an HI halo that extends 58 r-band scale lengths from its stellar body. In contrast, the rest of the sample galaxies have HI radii to optical-scale-length ratios ranging from 9.3 to 26. The size of the HI disk in the "giant disk" dwarf galaxy ADBS 113845+2008 appears to be unusual as compared to similarly compact stellar populations.

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arXiv2013

Metal Abundances of 12 Dwarf Irregulars from the ADBS Survey

We have analyzed long-slit spectra of 12 dwarf irregular galaxies from the Arecibo Dual Beam Survey (ADBS). These galaxies represent a heterogeneous sample of objects detected by ADBS, but on average are relatively gas-rich, low-surface-brightness, and low-mass, thus represent a region of the galaxian population that is not commonly included in optical surveys. The metallicity-luminosity relationship for these galaxies is analyzed; the galaxies discussed in this paper appear to be under-abundant at a given luminosity when compared to a sample from the literature. We attempt to identify a "second parameter" responsible for the intrinsic scatter and apparent under-abundance of our galaxies. We do not find a definitive second parameter but note the possible indication that infall or mixing of pristine gas may be responsible. We derive oxygen abundances for multiple HII regions in many of our galaxies but do not find any strong indications of metallicity variation within the galaxies except in one case where we see variation between an isolated HII region and the rest of the galaxy. Our data set includes the galaxy with the largest known HI-to-optical size ratio, ADBS 113845+2008. Our abundance analysis of this galaxy reveals that it is strongly over-enriched compared to galaxies of similar luminosity, indicating it is not a young object and confirming the result from Cannon et. al (2009) that this galaxy appears to be intrinsically rare in the local universe.

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arXiv2012

Spatially resolved spectroscopy of the globular cluster RZ 2109 and the nature of its black hole

We present optical HST/STIS spectroscopy of RZ 2109, a globular cluster in the elliptical galaxy NGC 4472. This globular cluster is notable for hosting an ultraluminous X-ray source as well as associated strong and broad [OIII] 4959, 5007 emission. We show that the HST/STIS spectroscopy spatially resolves the [OIII] emission in RZ 2109. While we are unable to make a precise determination of the morphology of the emission line nebula, the best fitting models all require that the [OIII] 5007 emission has a half light radius in the range 3-7 pc. The extended nature of the [OIII] 5007 emission is inconsistent with published models that invoke an intermediate mass black hole origin. It is also inconsistent with the ionization of ejecta from a nova in the cluster. The spatial scale of the nebula could be produced via the photoionization of a strong wind driven from a stellar mass black hole accreting at roughly its Eddington rate.

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arXiv2011

Velocity Structure and Variability of [O III] Emission in Black Hole Host Globular Cluster RZ2109

We present a multi-facility study of the optical spectrum of the extragalactic globular cluster RZ2109, which hosts a bright black hole X-ray source. The optical spectrum of RZ2109 shows strong and very broad [O III]λλ4959,5007 emission in addition to the stellar absorption lines typical of a globular cluster. We use observations over an extended period of time to constrain the variability of these [O III] emission lines. We find that the equivalent width of the lines is similar in all of the datasets; the change in L[O III]λ5007 is \ltsim 10% between the first and last observations, which were separated by 467 days. The velocity profile of the line also shows no significant variability over this interval. Using a simple geometric model we demonstrate that the observed [O III]λ5007 line velocity structure can be described by a two component model with most of the flux contributed by a bipolar conical outflow of about 1,600 km/s, and the remainder from a Gaussian component with a FWHM of several hundred km/s.

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arXiv2011

The Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs (SHIELD)

We present first results from the "Survey of HI in Extremely Low-mass Dwarfs" (SHIELD), a multi-configuration EVLA study of the neutral gas contents and dynamics of galaxies with HI masses in the 10^6-10^7 Solar mass range detected by the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA (ALFALFA) survey. We describe the survey motivation and concept demonstration using VLA imaging of 6 low-mass galaxies detected in early ALFALFA data products. We then describe the primary scientific goals of SHIELD and present preliminary EVLA and WIYN 3.5m imaging of the 12 SHIELD galaxies. With only a few exceptions, the neutral gas distributions of these extremely low-mass galaxies are centrally concentrated. In only 1 system have we detected HI column densities higher than 10^21 cm^-2. Despite this, the stellar populations of all of these systems are dominated by blue stars. Further, we find ongoing star formation as traced by H alpha emission in 10 of the 11 galaxies with H alpha imaging obtained to date. Taken together these results suggest that extremely low-mass galaxies are forming stars in conditions different from those found in more massive systems. While detailed dynamical analysis requires the completion of data acquisition, the most well-resolved system is amenable to meaningful position-velocity analysis. For AGC 749237, we find well-ordered rotation of 30 km/s at a distance of ~40 arcseconds from the dynamical center. At the adopted distance of 3.2 Mpc, this implies the presence of a >1x10^8 Solar mass dark matter halo and a baryon fraction < ~0.1.

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arXiv2010

Infrared Properties of a Complete Sample of Star-Forming Dwarf Galaxies

We present a study of a large, statistically complete sample of star-forming dwarf galaxies using mid-infrared observations from the {\it Spitzer Space Telescope}. The relationships between metallicity, star formation rate (SFR) and mid-infrared color in these systems show that the galaxies span a wide range of properties. However, the galaxies do show a deficit of 8.0 \um\ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon emission as is apparent from the median 8.0 \um\ luminosity which is only 0.004 \lstarf\ while the median $B$-band luminosity is 0.05 \lstarb. Despite many of the galaxies being 8.0 \um\ deficient, there is about a factor of 4 more extremely red galaxies in the [3.6] $-$ [8.0] color than for a sample of normal galaxies with similar optical colors. We show correlations between the [3.6] $-$ [8.0] color and luminosity, metallicity, and to a lesser extent SFRs that were not evident in the original, smaller sample studied previously. The luminosity--metallicity relation has a flatter slope for dwarf galaxies as has been indicated by previous work. We also show a relationship between the 8.0 \um\ luminosity and the metallicity of the galaxy which is not expected given the competing effects (stellar mass, stellar population age, and the hardness of the radiation field) that influence the 8.0 \um\ emission. This larger sample plus a well-defined selection function also allows us to compute the 8.0 \um\ luminosity function and compare it with the one for the local galaxy population. Our results show that below 10$^{9}$ $L$\solar, nearly all the 8.0 \um\ luminosity density of the local universe arises from dwarf galaxies that exhibit strong \ha\ emission -- i.e., 8.0 \um\ and \ha\ selection identify similar galaxy populations despite the deficit of 8.0 \um\ emission observed in these dwarfs.

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arXiv2010

The Stellar and Gaseous Contents of the Orion Dwarf Galaxy

We present new KPNO 0.9-m optical and VLA HI spectral line observations of the Orion dwarf galaxy. This nearby (D ~ 5.4 Mpc), intermediate-mass (M_dyn = 1.1x10^10 Solar masses) dwarf displays a wealth of structure in its neutral ISM, including three prominent "hole/depression" features in the inner HI disk. We explore the rich gas kinematics, where solid-body rotation dominates and the rotation curve is flat out to the observed edge of the HI disk (~6.8 kpc). The Orion dwarf contains a substantial fraction of dark matter throughout its disk: comparing the 4.7x10^8 Solar masses of detected neutral gas with estimates of the stellar mass from optical and near-infrared imaging (3.7x10^8 Solar masses) implies a mass-to-light ratio of ~13. New H alpha observations show only modest-strength current star formation (~0.04 Solar masses per year); this star formation rate is consistent with our 1.4 GHz radio continuum non-detection.

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arXiv2009

A Population of Metal-Poor Galaxies with ~L* Luminosities at Intermediate Redshifts

We present new spectroscopy and metallicity estimates for a sample of 15 star-forming galaxies with redshifts in the range 0.29 - 0.42. These objects were selected in the KPNO International Spectroscopic Survey via their strong emission lines seen in red objective-prism spectra. Originally thought to be intermediate-redshift Seyfert 2 galaxies, our new spectroscopy in the far red has revealed these objects to be metal-poor star-forming galaxies. These galaxies follow a luminosity-metallicity (L-Z) relation that parallels the one defined by low-redshift galaxies, but is offset by a factor of more than ten to lower abundances. The amount of chemical and/or luminosity evolution required to place these galaxies on the local L-Z relation is extreme, suggesting that these galaxies are in a very special stage of their evolution. They may be late-forming massive systems, which would challenge the current paradigm of galaxy formation. Alternatively, they may represent intense starbursts in dwarf-dwarf mergers or a major infall episode of pristine gas into a pre-existing galaxy. In any case, these objects represent an extreme stage of galaxy evolution taking place at relatively low redshift.

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arXiv2009

Quiescent Isolation: The Extremely Extended HI Halo of the Optically Compact Dwarf Galaxy ADBS 113845+2008

We present new optical imaging and spectroscopy and HI spectral line imaging of the dwarf galaxy ADBS 113845+2008 (hereafter ADBS 1138). This metal-poor (Z~30% Z_Sun), "post-starburst" system has one of the most compact stellar distributions known in any galaxy to date (B-band exponential scale length =0.57 kpc). In stark contrast to the compact stellar component, the neutral gas is extremely extended; HI is detected to a radial distance of ~25 kpc at the 10^19 cm^-2 level (>44 B-band scale lengths). Comparing to measurements of similar "giant disk" dwarf galaxies in the literature, ADBS 1138 has the largest known HI-to-optical size ratio. The stellar component is located near the center of a broken ring of HI that is ~15 kpc in diameter; column densities peak in this structure at the ~3.5x10^20 cm^-2 level. At the center of this ring, in a region of comparatively low HI column density, we find ongoing star formation traced by H alpha emission. We sample the rotation curve to the point of turn over; this constrains the size of the dark matter halo of the galaxy, which outweighs the luminous component (stars + gas) by at least a factor of 15. To explain these enigmatic properties, we examine "inside-out" and "outside-in" evolutionary scenarios. Calculations of star formation energetics indicate that "feedback" from concentrated star formation is not capable of producing the ring structure; we posit that this is a system where the large HI disk is evolving in quiescent isolation. In a global sense, this system is exceedingly inefficient at converting neutral gas into stars.

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arXiv2008

Very Broad [O III]4959,5007 Emission from the NGC 4472 Globular Cluster RZ2109 and Implications for the Mass of Its Black Hole X-ray Source

We present Keck LRIS spectroscopy of the black hole-hosting globular cluster RZ2109 in the Virgo elliptical galaxy NGC 4472. We find that this object has extraordinarily broad [OIII]5007 and [OIII]4959 emission lines, with velocity widths of approximately 2,000 k/ms. This result has significant implications for the nature of this accreting black-hole system and the mass of the globular cluster black hole. We show that the broad [OIII]5007 emission must arise from material driven at high velocity from the black hole system. This is because the volume available near the black hole is too small by many orders of magnitude to have enough [OIII] emitting atoms to account for the observed L([OIII]5007) at high velocities, even if this volume is filled with Oxygen at the critical density for [OIII]5007. The Balmer emission is also weak, indicating the observed [OIII] is not due to shocks. We therefore conclude that the [OIII]4959,5007 is produced by photoionization of material driven across the cluster. The only known way to drive significant material at high velocity is for a system accreting mass near or above its Eddington limit, which indicates a stellar mass black hole. Since it is dynamically implausible to form an accreting stellar mass black hole system in a globular cluster with an intermediate mass black hole (IMBH), it appears this massive globular cluster does not have an IMBH. We discuss further tests of this conclusion, and its implications for the M_BH - M_stellar and M_BH - sigma relations.

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