Title: First Conclusive Evidence for a Massive Black Hole in the Center of the Milky Way
Abstract: In the last few years near-infrared imaging and spectroscopy at a high angular resolution has made it possible to determine stellar velocities down to separations of less than five light days from the compact radio source SgrA* that is located in the constellation Sagittarius at the dynamic center of the Milky Way. These measurements make a convincing case for the presence of a compact, central dark mass of $2.6 \times 10^6$ solar masses. Via simple physical considerations one can show that this dark mass cannot consist of a stable cluster of stars, stellar remnants, substellar condensations or even a degenerate gas of elementary particles. Energy equipartition requires that at least 105 out of the $2.6 \times 10^6$ solar masses must be associated with the source SgrA* itself. This mass is very likely enclosed within less than 8 light minutes which corresponds to 15 Schwarzschild radii of a million solar mass black hole. Accepting these arguments one must conclude that a massive black hole is located at the core of the Milky Way.
Publication Year: 2003
Publication Date: 2003-07-16
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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