Intermediate-mass black holes in Globular Clusters

Abstract

For a sample of nine Galactic globular clusters we measured the inner kinematic profiles with integral-field spectroscopy that we combined with existing outer kinematic measurements and HST luminosity profiles. With this information we are able to detect the crucial rise in the velocity-dispersion profile which indicates the presence of a central black hole. In addition, N-body simulations compared to our data will give us a deeper insight in the properties of clusters with black holes and stronger selection criteria for further studies. For the first time, we obtain a homogeneous sample of globular cluster integral- field spectroscopy which allows a direct comparison between clusters with and without an intermediate-mass black hole.

4 pages, 2 figures. To appear in the conference proceedings "Reading the book of globular clusters with the lens of stellar evolution", Mem. S. A. It. Eds. P. Ventura, C. Charbonnel, M. Castellani and M. Di Criscienzo