Back to Search
Start Over
UGC 4211: A Confirmed Dual Active Galactic Nucleus in the Local Universe at 230 pc Nuclear Separation
- Source :
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol 942, Iss 1, p L24 (2023)
- Publication Year :
- 2023
- Publisher :
- IOP Publishing, 2023.
-
Abstract
- We present multiwavelength high-spatial resolution (∼0.″1, 70 pc) observations of UGC 4211 at z = 0.03474, a late-stage major galaxy merger at the closest nuclear separation yet found in near-IR imaging (0.″32, ∼230 pc projected separation). Using Hubble Space Telescope/Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, Very Large Telescope/MUSE+AO, Keck/OSIRIS+AO spectroscopy, and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations, we show that the spatial distribution, optical and near-infrared emission lines, and millimeter continuum emission are all consistent with both nuclei being powered by accreting supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Our data, combined with common black hole mass prescriptions, suggest that both SMBHs have similar masses, $\mathrm{log}\left({M}_{\mathrm{BH}}/{M}_{\odot }\right)$ ∼ 8.1 (south) and $\mathrm{log}\left({M}_{\mathrm{BH}}/{M}_{\odot }\right)$ ∼ 8.3 (north), respectively. The projected separation of 230 pc (∼6× the black hole sphere of influence) represents the closest-separation dual active galactic nuclei (AGN) studied to date with multiwavelength resolved spectroscopy and shows the potential of nuclear (
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 20418213 and 20418205
- Volume :
- 942
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Directory of Open Access Journals
- Journal :
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- edsdoj.579db5f907af4274843115690c67e09b
- Document Type :
- article
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aca8f0