Hypervelocity Stars

Hypervelocity stars (HVSs) travel with such extreme velocities that dynamical ejection via gravitational interaction with a massive black hole (MBH) is their most likely origin. Observers have discovered dozens of unbound main-sequence stars since the first in 2005, and the velocities, stellar natur...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inAnnual review of astronomy and astrophysics Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 15 - 49
Main Author Brown, Warren R
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Palo Alto Annual Reviews 18.08.2015
Annual Reviews, Inc
Subjects
Astronomy
binary stars
black holes
Dark matter
Ejection
Galactic Center
Galactic halo
Halos
Hypervelocity
Milky Way
Origins
Spatial distribution
Stars
Stars & galaxies
stellar dynamics
stellar kinematics
Velocity
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Summary:Hypervelocity stars (HVSs) travel with such extreme velocities that dynamical ejection via gravitational interaction with a massive black hole (MBH) is their most likely origin. Observers have discovered dozens of unbound main-sequence stars since the first in 2005, and the velocities, stellar nature, spatial distribution, and overall numbers of unbound B stars in the Milky Way halo all fit an MBH origin. Theorists have proposed various mechanisms for ejecting unbound stars, and these mechanisms can be tested with larger and more complete samples. HVSs' properties are linked to the nature and environment of the Milky Way's MBH, and, with future proper motion measurements, their trajectories may provide unique probes of the dark matter halo that surrounds the Milky Way.
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ISSN:0066-4146
1545-4282
DOI:10.1146/annurev-astro-082214-122230