On the uniqueness of kinematical signatures of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters

Zocchi, A, Gieles, M and Hénault-Brunet, V (2015) On the uniqueness of kinematical signatures of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters

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Abstract

Finding an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) in a globular cluster (GC), or proving its absence, is a crucial ingredient in our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. The challenge is to identify a unique signature of an IMBH that cannot be accounted for by other processes. Observational claims of IMBH detection are often based on analyses of the kinematics of stars, such as a rise in the velocity dispersion profile towards the centre. In this contribution we discuss the degeneracy between this IMBH signal and pressure anisotropy in the GC. We show that that by considering anisotropic models it is possible to partially explain the innermost shape of the projected velocity dispersion profile, even though models that do not account for an IMBH do not exhibit a cusp in the centre.

Item Type:	Article
Authors :	Name Email ORCID Zocchi, A Gieles, M m.gieles@surrey.ac.uk Hénault-Brunet, V
Date :	21 January 2015
Uncontrolled Keywords :	astro-ph.GA, astro-ph.GA
Related URLs :	Author
Depositing User :	Symplectic Elements
Date Deposited :	17 May 2017 13:33
Last Modified :	16 Jan 2019 18:46
URI:	http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/id/eprint/839641

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