scholarly journals Compact Radio Cores in the Galactic Center and Elsewhere

1997 ◽  
Vol 163 ◽  
pp. 647-658
Author(s):  
Heino Falcke
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Seyfert Galaxies ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
Vlbi Observations ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Nearby Galaxies ◽  
Liner Galaxies ◽  
Sgr A ◽  
Observational Knowledge

AbstractCompact radio cores are not only common in radio galaxies and quasars but also in many nearby galaxies with low-active, supermassive black holes. One famous example is the Galactic Center source Sgr A*. Recent studies of proper motions and radial velocities of stars in the inner parsec of the Galaxy convincingly demonstrate the presence of a compact dark mass of 2.5 · 106M⊙in the nucleus of the Milky Way. Millimeter VLBI and submm observations of Sgr A*thus probe a region of only a few Schwarzschild radii in diameter. In this paper I will review our current theoretical and observational knowledge of this source and compare it to some famous LINER galaxies like NGC 4258, NGC 3079, and NGC 6500. In all cases these radio cores can be well explained by a standard AGN jet model, and, with the exception of Sgr A*, large scale outflows are observed that have powers comparable to those inferred from the radio cores. Recent VLBI observations of radio-weak quasars and HST observations of Seyfert galaxies indicate that these AGN also produce powerful jets which, however, have relatively less luminous radio cores than radio-loud quasars and the LINERs discussed here. Therefore, jets and compact radio cores appear to be natural constituents of an AGN, but the reason why apparently some jets are radio-loud and others not remains a mystery.

scholarly journals 10.2. High proper motions in the vicinity of Sgr A∗: unambiguous evidence for a massive central black hole

1998 ◽  
Vol 184 ◽  
pp. 433-434
Author(s):  
A. M. Ghez ◽  
B. L. Klein ◽  
C. McCabe ◽  
M. Morris ◽  
E. E. Becklin
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Milky Way ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Robust Method ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
Central Black Hole ◽  
Milky Way Galaxy ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Sgr A

Although the notion that the Milky Way galaxy contains a supermassive central black hole has been around for more than two decades, it has been difficult to prove that one exists. The challenge is to assess the distribution of matter in the few central parsecs of the Galaxy. Assuming that gravity is the dominant force, the motion of the stars and gas in the vicinity of the putative black hole offers a robust method for accomplishing this task, by revealing the mass interior to the radius of the objects studied. Thus objects located closest to the Galactic Center provide the strongest constraints on the black hole hypothesis.

scholarly journals Micro-arcsecond astrometry with the VLBA

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S248) ◽  
pp. 141-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Galactic Center ◽  
Galactic Plane ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
Star Forming ◽  
Star Forming Regions ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Trigonometric Parallaxes ◽  
Sgr A ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Almost All

AbstractThe VLBA is now achieving parallaxes and proper motions with accuracies approaching the micro-arcsecond domain. The apparent proper motion of Sgr A*, which reflects the orbit of the Sun around the Galactic center, has been measured with high accuracy. This measurement strongly constrains Θ0/R0 and offers a dynamical definition of the Galactic plane with Sgr A*at its origin. The intrinsic motion of Sgr A*is very small and comparable to that expected for a supermassive black hole. Trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions for a number of massive star forming regions (MSFRs) have now been measured. For almost all cases, kinematic distances exceed the true distances, suggesting that the Galactic parameters, R0 and Θ0, are inaccurate. Solutions for the Solar Motion are in general agreement with those obtained from Hipparcos data, except that MSFRs appear to be rotating slower than the Galaxy. Finally, the VLBA has been used to measure extragalactic proper motions and to map masers in distant AGN accretion disks, which will yield direct estimates of H0.

scholarly journals SiO and H2O Masers in the Central Parsec of the Galaxy

1998 ◽  
Vol 164 ◽  
pp. 229-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karl M. Menten ◽  
Mark J. Reid
Keyword(s):  
Galactic Center ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Continuum Emission ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
Infrared Images ◽  
Evolved Stars ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Sgr A ◽  
Central Parsec ◽  
Infrared Sources

AbstractWe have discovered maser emission from SiO and H2O molecules toward a number of evolved stars within the central parsec of our Galaxy. The maser positions can be registered with milliarcsecond precision relative to the radio continuum emission of the nonthermal Galactic center source Sgr A*. Since the masing stars are prominent infrared sources, our data can be used to locate the position of Sgr A* on infrared images of the Galactic center region. Using VLBA observations it will be possible to measure proper motions of the maser stars, which can be used to put constraints on the mass distribution in the central parsec.

scholarly journals Phase referencing VLBI astrometry observation system: VERA

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (S248) ◽  
pp. 148-155
Author(s):  
H. Kobayashi ◽  
N. Kawaguchi ◽  
S. Manabe ◽  
K. M. Shibata ◽  
M. Honma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Observation System ◽  
Baseline Length ◽  
Radio Telescopes ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
3 Dimensional ◽  
Japanese Archipelago ◽  
Vlbi Observations ◽  
The Future ◽  
The Galaxy

AbstractVERA aims at astrometric observations using phase referencing VLBI techniques, whose goal is a 10 micro arc-second accuracy for annual parallax measurements. VERA has four 20-m diameter VLBI radio telescopes in Japanese archipelago with the maximum baseline length of 2,300 km. They have the two-beam observing system, which makes simultaneous observations of two objects possible. This leads to very accurate phase referencing VLBI observations. An important science goal is to make a 3-dimensional map of the Galaxy and reveal its dynamics. In order to achieve this, VERA has the 22GHz and 43GHz bands for H2O and SiO maser objects, respectively. Maser objects are compact and suitable for astrometry observations. VERA's construction was started in 2000 and the array became operational in 2004. We have already measured annual parallaxes and proper motions of some galactic objects. In the future, VERA will collaborate with Korean and Chinese VLBI stations.

scholarly journals Sgr A* and Company—Multiwavelength Observations of Sgr A* and VLA Search for “Sgr A*’s” in LINERs

1998 ◽  
Vol 164 ◽  
pp. 323-324
Author(s):  
H. Falcke ◽  
W. M. Goss ◽  
L. C. Ho ◽  
H. Matsuo ◽  
P. Teuben ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Power ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
First Results ◽  
Liner Galaxies ◽  
Sgr A ◽  
Multiwavelength Observations

AbstractWe report first results from a multiwavelength campaign to measure the simultaneous spectrum of Sgr A* from cm to mm wavelengths. The observations confirm that the previously detected submm-excess is not due to variability; the presence of an ultracompact component with a size of a few Schwarzschild radii is inferred. In a VLA survey of LINER galaxies, we found Sgr A*-like nuclei in one quarter of the galaxies searched, suggesting a link between those low-power AGN and the Galactic Center.

scholarly journals Radio Continuum Emission from the Nuclei of Normal Galaxies

1980 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 177-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. van der Hulst
Keyword(s):  
Radio Emission ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Radio Continuum ◽  
Continuum Emission ◽  
Thermal Source ◽  
Very Large Array ◽  
Normal Galaxies ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Sgr A

During the last few years detailed and sensitive observations of the radio emission from the nuclei of many normal spiral galaxies has become available. Observations from the Very Large Array (VLA) of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO1), in particular, enable us to distinguish details on a scale of ≤100 pc for galaxies at distances less than 21 Mpc. The best studied nucleus, however, still is the center of our own Galaxy (see Oort 1977 and references therein). Its radio structure is complex. It consists of an extended non-thermal component 200 × 70 pc in size, with embedded therein several giant HII regions and the central source Sgr A (˜9 pc in size). Sgr A itself consists of a thermal source, Sgr A West, located at the center of the Galaxy, and a weaker, non-thermal source, Sgr A East. Sgr A West moreover contains a weak, extremely compact (≤10 AU) source. The radio morphology of several other galactic nuclei is quite similar to that of the Galactic Center, as will be discussed in section 2. Recent reviews of the radio properties of the nuclei of normal galaxies have been given by Ekers (1978a,b) and De Bruyn (1978). The latter author, however, concentrates on galaxies with either active nuclei or an unusual radio morphology. In this paper I will describe recent results from the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT, Hummel 1979), the NRAO 3-element interferometer (Carlson, 1977; Condon and Dressel 1978), and the VLA (Heckman et al., 1979; Van der Hulst et al., 1979). I will discuss the nuclear radio morphology in section 2, the luminosities in section 3, and the spectra in section 4. In section 5 I will briefly comment upon the possible implications for the physical processes in the nuclei that are responsible for the radio emission.

scholarly journals The Compact Nonthermal Radio Source at the Galactic Center: an Update

1989 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. 527-534
Author(s):  
K. Y. Lo
Keyword(s):  
Radio Source ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Central Star ◽  
Radio Sources ◽  
Stellar Objects ◽  
Nonthermal Radio ◽  
Compact Radio Source ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Observational Status ◽  
Sgr A

We review the current observational status of Sgr A∗, the compact nonthermal radio source at the galactic center. Sgr A∗ is a unique radio source at a unique location of the Galaxy. It is unlike any compact radio source associated with known stellar objects, but it is similar to extragalactic nuclear compact radio sources. The positional offset between Sgr A∗ and IRS16 places little constraint on the nature of the underlying energy source, since IRS16 need not be the core of the central star cluster. Sgr A∗ is still the best candidate for marking the location of a massive collapsed object.

scholarly journals Filamentary Structures Near the Galactic Center

1989 ◽  
Vol 136 ◽  
pp. 243-263 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Yusef-Zadeh
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Galactic Plane ◽  
Galactic Rotation ◽  
Physical Interaction ◽  
Magnetic Structures ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Field Lines ◽  
The Magnetic Field

Recent studies of the Galactic center environment have revealed a wealth of new thermal and nonthermal features with unusual characteristics. A system of nonthermal filamentary structures tracing magnetic field lines are found to extend over 200pc in the direction perpendicular to the Galactic plane. Ionized structures, like nonthermal features, appear filamentary and show forbidden velocity fields in the sense of Galactic rotation and large line widths. Faraday rotation characteristics and the flat spectral index distributions of the nonthermal filaments suggest a mixture of thermal and nonthermal gas. Furthermore, the relative spatial distributions of the magnetic structures with respect to those of the ionized and molecular gas suggest a physical interaction between these two systems. In spite of numerous questions concerning the origin of the large-scale organized magnetic structures, the mechanism by which particles are accelerated to relativistic energies, and the source or sources of heating the dust and gas, recent studies have been able to distinguish the inner 200pc of the nucleus from the disk of the Galaxy in at least two more respects: (1) the recognition that the magnetic field has a large-scale structure and is strong, uniform and dynamically important; and (2) the physics of interstellar matter may be dominated by the poloidal component of the magnetic field.

6. Large-Scale Aspects of the Distribution of Interstellar Matter

1988 ◽  
Vol 20 (01) ◽  
pp. 385-396
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Rotation Speed ◽  
Hii Regions ◽  
Distance Scale ◽  
Interstellar Matter ◽  
B Stars ◽  
Structure And Dynamics ◽  
Galactic System ◽  
The Galaxy

The previous report on structure and dynamics of the galactic system was given by Wielen (41.155.100). The recently recommended values for solar distance to the galactic center (8.5 kpc) and our rotation speed around it (220 km.s-1) were discussed by Trimble (42.155.043).The distance scale of the Galaxy was reviewed by Barkhatovaet al. (40.155.088). A discussion of typical corrugation scales in the Galaxy was given by Spicker and Feitsinger (42.155.003), who concluded that three distinct scales seem to exist: 1-2 kpc, 4-8 kpc, and > 13 kpc. These corrugations are reflected in the distribution of O and B-stars and HII regions, and to a lesser extent in the HI distribution. Feitzinger and Spicker (39.155.026) investigated the corrugation phenomenon for the (heliocentric) longitude range 10° ≤ l ≤ 240° as derived from HI studies.

scholarly journals Hypervelocity stars in the Gaia era

2018 ◽  
Vol 620 ◽  
pp. A48 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Irrgang ◽  
S. Kreuzer ◽  
U. Heber
Keyword(s):  
Radial Velocity ◽  
Galactic Center ◽  
Galactic Disk ◽  
Large Magellanic Cloud ◽  
Proper Motions ◽  
The Galaxy ◽  
Galactic Potentials ◽  
Kinematic Analyses ◽  
Ejection Mechanism ◽  
Runaway Stars

Context. Young massive stars in the halo are assumed to be runaway stars from the Galactic disk. Possible ejection scenarios are binary supernova ejections (BSE) or dynamical ejections from star clusters (DE). Hypervelocity stars (HVSs) are extreme runaway stars that are potentially unbound from the Galaxy. Powerful acceleration mechanisms such as the tidal disruption of a binary system by a supermassive black hole (SMBH) are required to produce them. Therefore, HVSs are believed to originate in the Galactic center (GC), the only place known to host an SMBH. Aims. The second Gaia data release (DR2) offers the opportunity of studying HVSs in an unprecedented manner. We revisit some of the most interesting high-velocity stars, that is, 15 stars (11 candidate HVSs and 4 radial velocity outliers) for which proper motions with the Hubble Space Telescope. were obtained in the pre-Gaia era, to unravel their origin. Methods. By carrying out kinematic analyses based on revised spectrophotometric distances and proper motions from Gaia DR2, kinematic properties were obtained that help constrain the spatial origins of these stars. Results. Stars that were previously considered (un)bound remain (un)bound in Galactic potentials favored by Gaia DR2 astrometry. For nine stars (five candidate HVSs plus all four radial velocity outliers), the GC can be ruled out as spatial origin at least at 2σ confidence level, suggesting that a large portion of the known HVSs are disk runaway stars launched close to or beyond Galactic escape velocities. The fastest star in the sample, HVS 3, is confirmed to originate in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Conclusions. Because the ejection velocities of five of our non-GC stars are close to or above the upper limits predicted for BSE and DE, another powerful dynamical ejection mechanism (e.g., involving massive perturbers such as intermediate-mass black holes) is likely to operate in addition to the three classical scenarios mentioned above.

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