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Title: EVIDENCE FOR A STELLAR DISRUPTION BY AN INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE IN AN EXTRAGALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER

Abstract

We report [O III] {lambda}5007 and [N II] {lambda}6583 emission from a globular cluster harboring the ultraluminous X-ray source CXOJ033831.8 - 352604 in the Fornax elliptical galaxy NGC 1399. No accompanying Balmer emission lines are present in the spectrum. One possibility is that the forbidden lines emanate from X-ray-illuminated debris of a star that has been tidally disrupted by an intermediate-mass black hole, with this debris also feeding the black hole leading to the observed X-ray emission. The line strengths indicate that the minimum size of the emitting region is {approx}10{sup 15} cm, and if the 70 km s{sup -1} half-widths of the emission lines represent rotation around the black hole, a minimum black hole mass of 1000 M {sub sun} is implied. The non-detection of H{alpha} and H{beta} emission lines suggests a white dwarf star was disrupted, although the presence of strong nitrogen emission is somewhat of a mystery.

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Alabama, Box 870324, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 (United States)
  2. Department of Astronomy, University of Michigan, 500 Church Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1042 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21305095
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 712; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/712/1/L1; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY; 99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE; BLACK HOLES; EMISSION; MASS; STAR CLUSTERS; WHITE DWARF STARS; X-RAY GALAXIES

Citation Formats

Irwin, Jimmy A, Brink, Thomas G, Bregman, Joel N, and Roberts, Timothy P. EVIDENCE FOR A STELLAR DISRUPTION BY AN INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE IN AN EXTRAGALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER. United States: N. p., 2010. Web. doi:10.1088/2041-8205/712/1/L1; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA).
Irwin, Jimmy A, Brink, Thomas G, Bregman, Joel N, & Roberts, Timothy P. EVIDENCE FOR A STELLAR DISRUPTION BY AN INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE IN AN EXTRAGALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/712/1/L1; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)
Irwin, Jimmy A, Brink, Thomas G, Bregman, Joel N, and Roberts, Timothy P. 2010. "EVIDENCE FOR A STELLAR DISRUPTION BY AN INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE IN AN EXTRAGALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/712/1/L1; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA).
@article{osti_21305095,
title = {EVIDENCE FOR A STELLAR DISRUPTION BY AN INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE IN AN EXTRAGALACTIC GLOBULAR CLUSTER},
author = {Irwin, Jimmy A and Brink, Thomas G and Bregman, Joel N and Roberts, Timothy P.},
abstractNote = {We report [O III] {lambda}5007 and [N II] {lambda}6583 emission from a globular cluster harboring the ultraluminous X-ray source CXOJ033831.8 - 352604 in the Fornax elliptical galaxy NGC 1399. No accompanying Balmer emission lines are present in the spectrum. One possibility is that the forbidden lines emanate from X-ray-illuminated debris of a star that has been tidally disrupted by an intermediate-mass black hole, with this debris also feeding the black hole leading to the observed X-ray emission. The line strengths indicate that the minimum size of the emitting region is {approx}10{sup 15} cm, and if the 70 km s{sup -1} half-widths of the emission lines represent rotation around the black hole, a minimum black hole mass of 1000 M {sub sun} is implied. The non-detection of H{alpha} and H{beta} emission lines suggests a white dwarf star was disrupted, although the presence of strong nitrogen emission is somewhat of a mystery.},
doi = {10.1088/2041-8205/712/1/L1; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21305095}, journal = {Astrophysical Journal Letters},
issn = {2041-8205},
number = 1,
volume = 712,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010},
month = {Sat Mar 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010}
}