A correlation between central supermassive black holes and the globular cluster systems of early-type galaxies

Apr, 2010
13 pages
Published in:
  • Astrophys.J. 720 (2010) 516-521
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Abstract: (arXiv)
Elliptical, lenticular, and early-type spiral galaxies show a remarkably tight power-law correlation between the mass M_BH of their central supermassive black hole (SMBH) and the number N_GC of globular clusters: M_BH=m*N_GC^(1.08+/-0.04) with m=1.7*10^5 solar masses. Thus, to a good approximation the SMBH mass is the same as the total mass of the globular clusters. Based on a limited sample of 13 galaxies, this relation appears to be a better predictor of SMBH mass (rms scatter 0.2 dex) than the M_BH-sigma relation between SMBH mass and velocity dispersion sigma. The small scatter reflects the fact that galaxies with high globular cluster specific frequency S_N tend to harbor SMBHs that are more massive than expected from the M_BH-sigma relation.
Note:
  • 14 pages, 3 figures, to appear in ApJ 720, 516 (2010)