AN OFF-CENTERED ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEUS IN NGC 3115

Autor(es)

Menezes, R. B. ^[1] ; Steiner, J. E. ^[1] ; Ricci, T. V. ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Astron Geofis & Ciencias Atmosfer, BR-05508090 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Astrophysical Journal Letters; v. 796, n. 1 NOV 20 2014.
• Citações Web of Science: 8

Resumo

NGC 3115 is an S0 galaxy that has always been considered to have a pure absorption-line spectrum. Some recent studies have detected a compact radio-emitting nucleus in this object, coinciding with the photometric center and with a candidate for the X-ray nucleus. This is evidence of the existence of a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus (AGN) in the galaxy, although no emission line has ever been observed. We report the detection of an emission-line spectrum of a type 1 AGN in NGC 3115, with an Ha luminosity of L-H alpha = (4.2 +/- 0.4) x 10(37) erg s(-1). Our analysis revealed that this AGN is located at a projected distance of similar to 0 `'.29 +/- 0 `'.05 (corresponding to similar to 14.3 +/- 2.5 pc) from the stellar bulge center, which is coincident with the kinematic center of this object's stellar velocity map. The black hole corresponding to the observed off-centered AGN may form a binary system with a black hole located at the stellar bulge center. However, it is also possible that the displaced black hole is the merged remnant of the binary system coalescence, after the ``kick{''} caused by the asymmetric emission of gravitational waves. We propose that certain features in the stellar velocity dispersion map are the result of perturbations caused by the off-centered AGN. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 12/21350-7 - Emissão de baixa ionização nuclear e circum-nuclear em galáxias massivas.
• Beneficiário: Tiago Vecchi Ricci
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 12/02268-8 - Núcleos de galáxias no universo local: buracos negros supermassivos e arqueologia estelar de galáxias de alta e baixa massas
• Beneficiário: Roberto Bertoldo Menezes
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado