arXiv subjects

Matthew W. Hosek Jr.

Publications and source records attributed to Matthew W. Hosek Jr..

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A Search For Stellar-mass Black Holes Via Astrometric Microlensing II: 2012-2015 Keck Candidates

The Milky Way is expected to host $\sim$10$^8$ stellar-mass black holes with an uncertain binary fraction. The only proven method to detect isolated stellar mass black holes is gravitational microlensing. Here we report the results of a microlensing search for black holes with photometry and astrometry. By combining 10 years of seeing-limited photometry from OGLE and MOA with diffraction-limited photometry and astrometry from adaptive optics imagers at the W.~M.~Keck Observatory, we constrain lens masses for OGLE-2012-BLG-0169, OGLE-2014-BLG-0613/MOA-2015-BLG-041, OGLE-2015-BLG-0029/MOA-2015-BLG-170, and OGLE-2015-BLG-0211. Of the four long-duration microlensing events monitored, we ruled out black hole lenses in 3 events, which likely have stellar or white dwarf lenses. OGLE-2015-BLG-0211 remains a black hole candidate with a poorly constrained lens mass with a 1$σ$ upper mass limit of 3.2$M_\odot$ and a 3$σ$ upper mass limit of 21.6$M_\odot$. This event suffered from poor observing conditions and significant astrometric reference frame uncertainties, but its analysis may benefit from additional astrometric data in the upcoming Gaia Data Release 4. Of the six long-timescale ($t_E>100$ days) microlensing events from this work and previous studies, one black hole has been confirmed with a second not ruled out. We briefly examine Galactic model simulations and find that our result agrees with current expectations. Ultimately, we need a larger sample of isolated black holes to constrain their formation processes. This will be possible in the coming years with Rubin and Roman, as well as improved astrometry from JWST and large, ground-based telescopes equipped with adaptive optics.

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arXiv2026

Absolute Motion of the Infrared Counterpart to Sagittarius A* in the Gaia Celestial Reference Frame 3 and Limits on an Intermediate-mass Black Hole Companion

We report the first proper motion and acceleration measurements of the infrared (IR) counterpart to Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*-IR), the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the center of our Galaxy, in the Gaia-Celestial Reference Frame (Gaia-CRF3). This reference frame realizes the International Celestial Reference System (ICRS), which is an absolute reference coordinate system defined by quasars. A combination of Gaia and Hubble Space Telescope data was used to transform Keck adaptive optics (AO) observations into Gaia-CRF3. We developed a method for selecting reference stars that minimizes astrometric transformation errors (statistical error = $0.10-0.63$ mas) and drift of the coordinate system (systematic error $\sim 0.01$ mas/yr). We find the proper motion of Sgr A*-IR in Gaia-CRF3 to be $μ_{α^{*}} = -3.093 \pm 0.085$ mas yr$^{-1}$ and $μ_δ= -5.62 \pm 0.13$ mas yr$^{-1}$ with the initial position at $t_{0} = 2016.0$ of R.A. = 266.41680848 $\pm$ 0.00000029 deg and DEC = -29.00783947 $\pm$ 0.00000050 deg, which translates to a precision of 1.05 mas in R.A. and 1.79 mas DEC. This is consistent with the astrometric measurements of the radio counterpart to Sgr A* by \citet{Xu_2022}. We also place a $2σ$ upper constraint of the acceleration of Sgr A*-IR on the sky at 0.061 mas yr$^{-2}$. This acceleration limit on Sgr A*-IR excludes any intermediate-mass black hole companion with mass $\gtrsim 4\times 10^{4}$ $M_{\odot}$ within a distance of $\sim$0.01 pc, consistent with previous studies. With the release of Gaia Data Release 4, we predict these limits will be improved by at least a factor of two.

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arXiv2026

Black hole astrometric binaries in the Roman Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope (Roman), NASA's next flagship mission, is currently scheduled to launch in August 2026. As part of its mission, Roman will conduct the Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey (GBTDS), which will generate $\sim$50,000 epochs of high-precision photometric and astrometric data for $\sim 10^8$ sources across 1.7 deg$^2$ in the Galactic Bulge. Roman GBTDS astrometry is comparable to Gaia Data Release 4 in terms of number of stars, astrometric precision, and time baseline, and is highly complementary in terms of wavelength and sky location. In this paper, we investigate a synthetic population of GBTDS sources to characterize the detectability of unresolved astrometric binaries, in particular those with compact object companions. Assuming the occurrence rate of black holes (BHs) and neutron stars (NSs) in AU-scale orbits around stars is $10^{-7}$ and $10^{-6}$, respectively, and that Roman achieves an astrometric precision of $1\%$ of a pixel, $\mathcal{O}(10)$ BH+star and $\mathcal{O}(10)$ NS+star detached binaries will be detectable. The BHs will have median mass measurement uncertainties of $\sim 25\%$, increasing the existing sample of detached astrometric BH binaries by a factor of three. Together with the $\mathcal{O}(10^2)$ isolated BHs expected to be discovered by microlensing in the Roman GBTDS and an additional $\mathcal{O}(10)$ detached BH binaries in Gaia DR4, this will provide a representative view of the quiescent Galactic stellar-mass BH population.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2026

A Kinematic Study of Wolf-Rayet Stars at the Galactic Center I: Binary Candidates and Constraints on the Binary Fraction

We report the binary fraction of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars within 0.5~pc of the Galactic center obtained through the longest time-baseline (1994-2024) kinematic study of this population of stars. The new radial velocity ($v_{z}$) data we present is primarily from the W. M. Keck Observatory, with additional $v_{z}$ measurements from Gemini North Observatory. When combining our new $v_{z}$ measurements with literature measurements, we find $v_{z}$ variations suggesting the presence of a companion for five out of 27 WR stars, of which two are newly identified here (IRS~13E4, S8-181), along with three previously detected binaries (IRS~16SW, IRS~16NE, S4-258). Based on our experimental sensitivity and expected properties of the underlying population, we infer the binary fraction of the WR stars in the Galactic center to be 0.56$\pm$0.18. This is consistent with previous photometric studies of the young stars in the Galactic center, and with the binary fraction of field WR stars. When our results are combined with the results of previous photometric work, we find a binary fraction of 0.69$\pm$0.17 for the WR stars in the Galactic center.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2026

A multiwavelength study of the Galactic center black hole candidate MAXI J1744-294

For the first time in nearly a decade, a bright transient was detected in the central parsec (pc) of the Galaxy. MAXI J1744-294, or -- as it was known in its previous life -- Swift J174540.2-290037, was discovered in outburst by the MAXI telescope in January 2025. We present the results of a broadband, multi-wavelength study of MAXI J1744-294, including data from the NuSTAR, Chandra, XMM-Newton, Swift, and NICER X-ray telescopes, as well as complementary radio and near-infrared observations. We analyze the changing X-ray emission as the outburst evolved from the high/soft to the low/hard state. Using relativistic reflection features in the data, we estimate a spin of $a>0.92$ and viewing inclination $θ=28^{+3}_{-4}$ deg, consistent with the parameters measured for Swift J174540.2-290037. Based on the spectral and temporal characteristics of MAXI J1744-294, we reaffirm its classification as a candidate black hole (BH) low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) -- the third candidate BH transient discovered within 20 arcsec of the Galactic supermassive black hole Sgr~A*. This work provides further evidence for a cusp of BH-LMXBs in the central pc of our Galaxy, as argued for in previous observational studies and suggested by analytical and theoretical work. Our ongoing multi-wavelength study, involving a complementary range of observatories and spanning different outburst states, can serve as a model for future time domain astrophysics research.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Structure and Dynamics of the Young Massive Star Cluster Westerlund 1

We present a structural analysis of the young massive star cluster Westerlund 1 (Wd 1). With multi-epoch Hubble Space Telescope (HST) observations, we measure the proper motions of $10346$ stars and determine their kinematic memberships by fitting a Gaussian mixture model to their proper motions. After correcting for extinction and completeness, we model the stellar density distribution and confirm the presence of an elongation with an eccentricity of $0.71$. The eccentricity decreases slightly with increasing mass. We fit the radial profile with the Elson, Fall, and Freeman model, observing a decrease in the core radius with increasing mass, indicative of weak but detectable mass segregation. This finding is further supported by a measured mass segregation ratio of $Λ_\mathrm{\rm MSR}=1.11\pm0.11$, only above $1$ by $1σ$, and slightly shorter minimum spanning tree length for higher mass bins. The cluster has a 1D velocity dispersion of $3.42 \pm 0.10~\mathrm{km}\,\mathrm{s}^{-1}$, suggesting it is subvirial. The subvirial state implies either exceptionally high star formation efficiency or inefficient stellar feedback caused by local gas expulsion before stars reach the cluster. The crossing time is $0.30$ Myr and the relaxation time is $0.26$ Gyr. Given the age of Wd 1 of $10.7$ Myr, we expect evident mass segregation for stars more massive than $10~M_\odot$, which accounts for the minor mass segregation found in the mass range of $1.00\unicode{x2013}12.14~M_\odot$ in this work. This suggests the overall mass segregation in Wd 1 is not primordial.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2025

The HST-Gaia Near-Infrared Astrometric Reference Frame near the Milky Way Galactic Center

We present the first high-precision proper motion catalog, tied to the International Celestial Reference System (ICRS), of infrared astrometric reference stars within R $\leq$ 25" (1 pc) of the central supermassive black hole at the Galactic center (GC). This catalog contains $\sim$2,900 sources in a highly extinguished region that is inaccessible via Gaia. New astrometric measurements are extracted from HST observations (14 epochs, 2010 - 2023) and transformed into the ICRS using 40 stars in common with Gaia-DR3. We implement a new method for modeling proper motions via Gaussian Processes that accounts for systematic errors, greatly improving measurement accuracy. Proper motion and position measurements reach precisions of $\sim$0.03 mas/yr and $\sim$0.11 mas, respectively, representing a factor of $\sim$20x improvement over previous ICRS proper motion catalogs in the region. These measurements define a novel HST-Gaia reference frame that is consistent with Gaia-CRF3 to within 0.025 mas/yr in proper motion and 0.044 mas in position, making it the first ICRS-based reference frame precise enough to probe the distribution of extended mass within the orbits of stars near SgrA*. In addition, HST-Gaia provides an independent test of the radio measurements of stellar masers that form the basis of current GC reference frames. We find that the HST-Gaia and radio measurements are consistent to within 0.041 mas/yr in proper motion and 0.54 mas in position at 99.7% confidence. Gaia-DR4 is expected to reduce the HST-Gaia reference frame uncertainties by another factor of $\sim$2x, further improving the reference frame for dynamical studies.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2024

New Evidence for a Flux-independent Spectral Index of Sgr A* in the Near-infrared

In this work, we measure the spectral index of Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) between the $H$ (1.6 $μ$m) and $K^\prime$ (2.2 $μ$m) broadband filters in the near-infrared (NIR), sampling over a factor $\sim 40$ in brightness, the largest range probed to date by a factor $\sim 3$. Sgr A*-NIR is highly variable, and studying the spectral index $α$ (with $F_ν\propto ν^α$) is essential to determine the underlying emission mechanism. For example, variations in $α$ with flux may arise from shifts in the synchrotron cutoff frequency, changes in the distribution of electrons, or multiple concurrent emission mechanisms. We investigate potential variations of $α_{H-K^\prime}$ with flux by analyzing 7 epochs (2005 to 2022) of Keck Observatory imaging observations from the Galactic Center Orbits Initiative (GCOI). We remove the flux contribution of known sources confused with Sgr A*-NIR, which can significantly impact color at faint flux levels. We interpolate between the interleaved $H$ and $K^\prime$ observations using Multi-Output Gaussian Processes. We introduce a flexible empirical model to quantify $α$ variations and probe different scenarios. The observations are best fit by an $α_{H-K^\prime} = - 0.50 \pm 0.08 _{\rm stat} \pm 0.17_{\rm sys}$ that is constant from $\sim 1$ mJy to $\sim 40$ mJy (dereddened 2 $μ$m flux). We find no evidence for a flux-dependence of Sgr A*'s intrinsic spectral index. In particular, we rule out a model explaining NIR variability purely by shifts in the synchrotron cutoff frequency. We also constrain the presence of redder, quiescent emission from the black hole, concluding that the dereddened 2 $μ$m flux contribution must be $\leq 0.3$ mJy at 95% confidence level.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2024

An Estimate of the Binary Star Fraction Among Young Stars at the Galactic Center: Possible Evidence of a Radial Dependence

We present the first estimate of the intrinsic binary fraction of young stars across the central $\approx$ 0.4 pc surrounding the supermassive black hole (SMBH) at the Milky Way Galactic center (GC). This experiment searched for photometric variability in 102 young stars, using 119 nights of 10"-wide adaptive optics imaging observations taken at Keck Observatory over 16 years in the K'- and H-bands. We photometrically detected three binary stars, all of which are situated more than 1" (0.04 pc) from the SMBH and one of which, S2-36, is newly reported here with spectroscopic confirmation. To convert the observed binary fraction into an estimate of the underlying binary fraction, we determined experiment sensitivity through detailed light curve simulations, incorporating photometric effects of eclipses, irradiation, and tidal distortion in binaries. The simulations assumed a population of young binaries, with stellar ages (4 Myr) and masses matched to the most probable values measured for the GC young star population and underlying binary system parameters similar to those of local massive stars. The detections and simulations imply young, massive stars in the GC have a stellar binary fraction $\geq$ 71% (68% confidence), or $\geq$ 42% (95% confidence). This inferred GC young star binary fraction is consistent with that typically seen in young stellar populations in the solar neighborhood. Furthermore, our measured binary fraction is significantly higher than that recently reported by Chu et al. (2023) based on RV measurements of young stars <~1" of the SMBH. Constrained with these two studies, the probability that the same underlying young binary fraction extends across the entire region is <1.4%. This tension provides support for a radial dependence of the binary star fraction and, therefore, for the dynamical predictions of binary merger and evaporation events close to the SMBH.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2023

Near-Infrared Flux Distribution of Sgr A* from 2005-2022: Evidence for an Enhanced Accretion Episode in 2019

Sgr A* is the variable electromagnetic source associated with accretion onto the Galactic center supermassive black hole. While the near-infrared (NIR) variability of Sgr A* was shown to be consistent over two decades, unprecedented activity in 2019 challenges existing statistical models. We investigate the origin of this activity by re-calibrating and re-analyzing all of our Keck Observatory Sgr A* imaging observations from 2005-2022. We present light curves from 69 observation epochs using the NIRC2 imager at 2.12 $μ$m with laser guide star adaptive optics. These observations reveal that the mean luminosity of Sgr A* increased by a factor of $\sim$3 in 2019, and the 2019 light curves had higher variance than in all time periods we examined. We find that the 2020-2022 flux distribution is statistically consistent with the historical sample and model predictions, but with fewer bright measurements above 0.6 mJy at the $\sim$2$σ$ level. Since 2019, we have observed a maximum $K_s$ (2.2 $μ$m) flux of 0.9 mJy, compared to the highest pre-2019 flux of 2.0 mJy and highest 2019 flux of 5.6 mJy. Our results suggest that the 2019 activity was caused by a temporary accretion increase onto Sgr A*, possibly due to delayed accretion of tidally-stripped gas from the gaseous object G2 in 2014. We also examine faint Sgr A* fluxes over a long time baseline to search for a quasi-steady quiescent state. We find that Sgr A* displays flux variations over a factor of $\sim$500, with no evidence for a quiescent state in the NIR.

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arXiv2023

The Galactic Center with Roman

We advocate for a Galactic center (GC) field to be added to the Galactic Bulge Time Domain Survey (GBTDS). The new field would yield high-cadence photometric and astrometric measurements of an unprecedented ${\sim}$3.3 million stars toward the GC. This would enable a wide range of science cases, such as finding star-compact object binaries that may ultimately merge as LISA-detectable gravitational wave sources, constraining the mass function of stars and compact objects in different environments, detecting populations of microlensing and transiting exoplanets, studying stellar flares and variability in young and old stars, and monitoring accretion onto the central supermassive black hole. In addition, high-precision proper motions and parallaxes would open a new window into the large-scale dynamics of stellar populations at the GC, yielding insights into the formation and evolution of galactic nuclei and their co-evolution with the growth of the supermassive black hole. We discuss the possible trade-offs between the notional GBTDS and the addition of a GC field with either an optimal or minimal cadence. Ultimately, the addition of a GC field to the GBTDS would dramatically increase the science return of Roman and provide a legacy dataset to study the mid-plane and innermost regions of our Galaxy.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2023

Evidence of a Decreased Binary Fraction for Massive Stars Within 20 Milliparsecs of the Supermassive Black Hole at the Galactic Center

We present the results of the first systematic search for spectroscopic binaries within the central 2 x 3 arcsec$^2$ around the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. This survey is based primarily on over a decade of adaptive optics-fed integral-field spectroscopy (R$\sim$4000), obtained as part of the Galactic Center Orbits Initiative at Keck Observatory, and has a limiting $K$'-band magnitude of 15.8, which is at least 4 magnitudes deeper than previous spectroscopic searches for binaries at larger radii within the central nuclear star cluster. From this primary dataset, over 600 new radial velocities are extracted and reported, increasing by a factor of 3 the number of such measurements. We find no significant periodic signals in our sample of 28 stars, of which 16 are massive, young (main-sequence B) stars and 12 are low-mass, old (M and K giant) stars. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we derive upper limits on the intrinsic binary star fraction for the young star population at 47% (at 95% confidence) located $\sim$20 mpc from the black hole. The young star binary fraction is significantly lower than that observed in the field (70%). This result is consistent with a scenario in which the central supermassive black hole drives nearby stellar binaries to merge or be disrupted and may have important implications for the production of gravitational waves and hypervelocity stars.

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arXiv2022

The Impact of Initial-Final Mass Relations on Black Hole Microlensing

Uncertainty in the initial-final mass relation (IFMR) has long been a problem in understanding the final stages of massive star evolution. One of the major challenges of constraining the IFMR is the difficulty of measuring the mass of non-luminous remnant objects (i.e. neutron stars and black holes). Gravitational wave detectors have opened the possibility of finding large numbers of compact objects in other galaxies, but all in merging binary systems. Gravitational lensing experiments using astrometry and photometry are capable of finding compact objects, both isolated and in binaries, in the Milky Way. In this work we improve the PopSyCLE microlensing simulation code in order to explore the possibility of constraining the IFMR using the Milky Way microlensing population. We predict that the Roman Space Telescope's microlensing survey will likely be able to distinguish different IFMRs based on the differences at the long end of the Einstein crossing time distribution and the small end of the microlensing parallax distribution, assuming the small ($π_E \lesssim 0.02$) microlensing parallaxes characteristic of black hole lenses are able to be measured accurately. We emphasize that future microlensing surveys need to be capable of characterizing events with small microlensing parallaxes in order to place the most meaningful constraints on the IFMR.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2022

Measuring the Orbits of the Arches and Quintuplet Clusters using HST and Gaia: Exploring Scenarios for Star Formation Near the Galactic Center

We present new absolute proper motion measurements for the Arches and Quintuplet clusters, two young massive star clusters near the Galactic center. Using multi-epoch HST observations, we construct proper motion catalogs for the Arches ($\sim$35,000 stars) and Quintuplet ($\sim$40,000 stars) fields in ICRF coordinates established using stars in common with the Gaia EDR3 catalog. The bulk proper motions of the clusters are measured to be ($μ_{α*}$, $μ_δ$) = (-0.80 $\pm$ 0.032, -1.89 $\pm$ 0.021) mas/yr for the Arches and ($μ_{α*}$, $μ_δ$) = (-0.96 $\pm$ 0.032, -2.29 $\pm$ 0.023) mas/yr for the Quintuplet, achieving $\sim$5x higher precision than past measurements. We place the first constraints on the properties of the cluster orbits that incorporate the uncertainty in their current line-of-sight distances. The clusters will not approach closer than $\sim$25 pc to SgrA*, making it unlikely that they will inspiral into the Nuclear Star Cluster within their lifetime. Further, the cluster orbits are not consistent with being circular; the average value of r$_{apo}$ / r$_{peri}$ is $\sim$1.9 (equivalent to eccentricity of $\sim$0.31) for both clusters. Lastly, we find that the clusters do not share a common orbit, challenging one proposed formation scenario in which the clusters formed from molecular clouds on the open stream orbit derived by Kruijssen et al. (2015). Meanwhile, our constraints on the birth location and velocity of the clusters offer mild support for a scenario in which the clusters formed via collisions between gas clouds on the x1 and x2 bar orbit families.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Searching for a Hypervelocity White Dwarf Companion: A Proper Motion Survey of SN 1006

Type Ia Supernovae (SNe Ia) are securely understood to come from the thermonuclear explosion of a white dwarf as a result of binary interaction, but the nature of that binary interaction and the secondary object is uncertain. Recently, a double white dwarf model known as the dynamically driven double-degenerate double-detonation (D6) model has become a promising explanation for these events. One realization of this scenario predicts that the companion may survive the explosion and reside within the remnant as a fast moving ($V_{peculiar} >1000$ km s$^{-1}$), overluminous ($L > 0.1 L_\odot$) white dwarf. Recently, three objects which appear to have these unusual properties have been discovered in the Gaia survey. We obtained photometric observations of the SN Ia remnant SN 1006 with the Dark Energy Camera over four years to attempt to discover a similar star. We present a deep, high precision astrometric proper motion survey of the interior stellar population of the remnant. We rule out the existence of a high proper motion object consistent with our tested realization of the D6 scenario ($V_{transverse} > 600$ km s$^{-1}$ with $m_r < 21$ corresponding to an intrinsic luminosity of $L > 0.0176 L_\odot$). We conclude that such a star does not exist within the remnant, or is hidden from detection by either strong localized dust or the unlikely possibility of ejection from the binary system near parallel to the line of sight.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2022

An isolated mass gap black hole or neutron star detected with astrometric microlensing

We present the analysis of five black hole candidates identified from gravitational microlensing surveys. Hubble Space Telescope astrometric data and densely sampled lightcurves from ground-based microlensing surveys are fit with a single-source, single-lens microlensing model in order to measure the mass and luminosity of each lens and determine if it is a black hole. One of the five targets (OGLE-2011-BLG-0462/MOA-2011-BLG-191 or OB110462 for short) shows a significant $>1$ mas coherent astrometric shift, little to no lens flux, and has an inferred lens mass of 1.6 - 4.4 $M_\odot$. This makes OB110462 the first definitive discovery of a compact object through astrometric microlensing and it is most likely either a neutron star or a low-mass black hole. This compact object lens is relatively nearby (0.70-1.92 kpc) and has a slow transverse motion of $<$30 km/s. OB110462 shows significant tension between models well-fit to photometry vs. astrometry, making it currently difficult to distinguish between a neutron star and a black hole. Additional observations and modeling with more complex system geometries, such as binary sources are needed to resolve the puzzling nature of this object. For the remaining four candidates, the lens masses are $<2 M_\odot$ and they are unlikely to be black holes; two of the four are likely white dwarfs or neutron stars. We compare the full sample of five candidates to theoretical expectations on the number of black holes in the Milky Way ($\sim 10^8$) and find reasonable agreement given the small sample size.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

The former companion of the hyper-velocity star S5-HVS1

The hyper-velocity star S5-HVS1, ejected 5 Myr ago from the Galactic Center at 1800 km/s, was most likely produced by tidal break-up of a tight binary by the supermassive black hole SgrA*. Taking a Monte Carlo approach, we show that the former companion of S5-HVS1 was likely a main-sequence star between 1.2 and 6 solar masses and was captured into a highly eccentric orbit with pericenter distance in the range 1-10 AU and semimajor axis about $10^3$ AU. We then explore the fate of the captured star. We find that the heat deposited by tidally excited stellar oscillation modes leads to runaway disruption if the pericenter distance is smaller than about 3 AU. Over the past 5 Myr, its angular momentum has been significantly modified by orbital relaxation, which may stochastically drive the pericenter inwards below 3 AU and cause tidal disruption. We find an overall survival probability in the range 5% to 50%, depending on the local relaxation time in the close environment of the captured star, and the initial pericenter at capture. The pericenter distance of the surviving star has migrated to 10-100 AU, making it potentially the most extreme member of the S-star cluster. From the ejection rate of S5-HVS1-like stars, we estimate that there may currently be a few stars in such highly eccentric orbits. They should be detectable (typically Ks < 18.5 mag) by the GRAVITY instrument and by future Extremely Large Telescopes and hence provide an extraordinary probe of the spin of SgrA*.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

The Quintuplet Cluster: Extended Structure and Tidal Radius

The Quintuplet star cluster is one of only three known young ($<10$ Myr) massive (M $>10^4$ M$_\odot$) clusters within $\sim100$ pc of the Galactic Center. In order to explore star cluster formation and evolution in this extreme environment, we analyze the Quintuplet's dynamical structure. Using the HST WFC3-IR instrument, we take astrometric and photometric observations of the Quintuplet covering a $120''\times120''$ field-of-view, which is $19$ times larger than those of previous proper motion studies of the Quintuplet. We generate a catalog of the Quintuplet region with multi-band, near-infrared photometry, proper motions, and cluster membership probabilities for $10,543$ stars. We present the radial density profile of $715$ candidate Quintuplet cluster members with $M\gtrsim4.7$ M$_\odot$ out to $3.2$ pc from the cluster center. A $3σ$ lower limit of $3$ pc is placed on the tidal radius, indicating the lack of a tidal truncation within this radius range. Only weak evidence for mass segregation is found, in contrast to the strong mass segregation found in the Arches cluster, a second and slightly younger massive cluster near the Galactic Center. It is possible that tidal stripping hampers a mass segregation signature, though we find no evidence of spatial asymmetry. Assuming that the Arches and Quintuplet formed with comparable extent, our measurement of the Quintuplet's comparatively large core radius of $0.62^{+0.10}_{-0.10}$ pc provides strong empirical evidence that young massive clusters in the Galactic Center dissolve on a several Myr timescale.

astro-ph.SR↗