THE FIRST SPECTROSCOPICALLY RESOLVED SUB-PARSEC ORBIT OF A SUPERMASSIVE BINARY BLACK HOLE

One of the most intriguing scenarios proposed to explain how active galactic nuclei are triggered involves the existence of a supermassive binaiy black hole (BH) system in their cores. Here, we present an observational evidence for the first spectroscopically resolved sub-parsec orbit of a such syst...

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Published inThe Astrophysical journal Vol. 759; no. 2; pp. 1 - 8
Main Authors Bon, E, Jovanovic, P, Marziani, P, SHAPOVALOVA, A I, Bon, N, JOVANOVIC, V BORKA, Borka, D, Sulentic, J, Popovic, L C
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 10.11.2012
Subjects
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
BINARY STARS
BLACK HOLES
Black holes (astronomy)
DIAGRAMS
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
Flux
GALAXY NUCLEI
Light curve
MASS
Orbitals
ORBITS
Periodic variations
PERIODICITY
QUASARS
RADIAL VELOCITY
SEYFERT GALAXIES
SHOCK WAVES
Spectroscopy
VISIBLE RADIATION
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Summary:One of the most intriguing scenarios proposed to explain how active galactic nuclei are triggered involves the existence of a supermassive binaiy black hole (BH) system in their cores. Here, we present an observational evidence for the first spectroscopically resolved sub-parsec orbit of a such system in the core of Seyfert galaxy NGC 4151. Using a method similar to those typically used for spectroscopic binaiy stars, we obtained radial velocity curves of the supermassive binary system, from which we calculated orbital elements and made estimates about the masses of the components. Our analysis shows that periodic variations in the light and radial velocity curves can be accounted for by an eccentric, sub-parsec Keplerian orbit with a 15.9 year period. The flux maximum in the light curve corresponds to the approaching phase of the secondaiy component toward the observer. According to the obtained results, we speculate that the periodic variations in the observed H alpha line shape and flux are due to shock waves generated by the supersonic motion of the components through the surrounding medium. Given the large observational effort needed to reveal this spectroscopically resolved binary orbital motion, we suggest that many such systems may exist in similar objects even if they are hard to find. Detecting more of them will provide us with insight into the BH mass growth process.
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ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/759/2/118