HST FOS SPECTROSCOPY OF M87 - EVIDENCE FOR A DISK OF IONIZED-GAS AROUND A MASSIVE BLACK-HOLE

被引:301
作者
HARMS, RJ
FORD, HC
TSVETANOV, ZI
HARTIG, GF
DRESSEL, LL
KRISS, GA
BOHLIN, R
DAVIDSEN, AF
MARGON, B
KOCHHAR, AK
机构
[1] JOHNS HOPKINS UNIV,BALTIMORE,MD 21218
[2] SPACE TELESCOPE SCI INST,BALTIMORE,MD 21218
[3] UNIV WASHINGTON,SEATTLE,WA 98195
关键词
BLACK HOLE PHYSICS; GALAXIES; INDIVIDUAL; (M87); KINEMATICS AND DYNAMICS; INSTRUMENTATION; SPECTROGRAPHS;
D O I
10.1086/187588
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
Using the Faint Object Spectrograph on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to observe the central region of M87, we have obtained spectra covering approximately 4600-6800 angstrom at a spectral dispersion approximately 4.4 angstrom per resolution element through the 0''.26 diameter entrance aperture. One spectrum was obtained centered on the nucleus of M87 and two centered 0''.25 off the nucleus at position angles of 21-degrees and 201-degrees, thus sampling the anticipated major axis of the disklike structure (described in a companion Letter) expected to lie approximately perpendicular to the axis of the M87 jet. Pointing errors for these observations are estimated to be less than 0''.02. Radial velocities of the ionized gas in the two positions 0''.25 on either side of the nucleus are measured to be almost-equal-to +/- 500 km s-1 relative to the M87 systemic velocity. These observations plus emission-line spectra obtained at two additional locations near the nucleus show the ionized gas to be in Keplerian rotation about a mass M = (2.4 +/- 0.7) x 10(9) M(.) within the inner 0''.25 of M87. Our results provide strong evidence for the presence of a supermassive nuclear black hole in M87.
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页码:L35 / &
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