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Stellar properties of the host galaxy of an ultraluminous X-ray source in NGC 5252.
- Source :
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters; Mar2020, Vol. 493 Issue 1, pL76-L80, 5p
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- An ultraluminous X-ray source (ULX) in NGC 5252 has been known as a strong candidate for an off-nuclear intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH). We present near-infrared imaging data of the ULX obtained with the William Herschel Telescope. Using this data we estimate a stellar mass associated with the ULX of ≈10<superscript>7.9 ± 0.1</superscript> |$\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$| , suggesting that it could be (the remnant of) a dwarf galaxy that is in the process of merging with NGC 5252. Based on a correlation between the mass of the central black hole (BH) and host galaxy, the ULX is powered by a 10<superscript>5</superscript> |$\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$| BH. Alternatively, if the BH mass is ≈10<superscript>6</superscript> |$\, \mathrm{M}_\odot$| or larger, the host galaxy of the ULX must have been heavily stripped during the merger. The ULX K <subscript> s </subscript>-band luminosity is two orders of magnitude smaller than that expected from an ordinary active galactic nucleus with the observed [O iii ] luminosity, which also suggests the ULX lacks a dusty torus. We discuss how these findings provide suggestive evidence that the ULX is hosting an IMBH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- DWARF galaxies
ACTIVE galactic nuclei
GALAXIES
X-rays
BLACK holes
STELLAR mass
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 17453925
- Volume :
- 493
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 142126191
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/slaa011