Chandra limits on X-ray emission associated with the supermassive black holes in three giant elliptical galaxies

Michael Loewenstein; Richard F. Mushotzky; Lorella Angelini; Keith A. Arnaud; Eliot Quataert

doi:10.1086/323157

Chandra limits on X-ray emission associated with the supermassive black holes in three giant elliptical galaxies

Michael Loewenstein, Richard F. Mushotzky, Lorella Angelini, Keith A. Arnaud, Eliot Quataert

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

121 Scopus citations

Abstract

Elliptical galaxy nuclei are the sites of the largest black holes known but typically show little or no nuclear activity. We investigate this extreme quiescence using Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations of the giant elliptical galaxies NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636. The unique Chandra imaging power enables us to place upper limits of 7.3, 15, and 28 × 10^-9L_Edd for the ∼10⁸-10⁹ M_⊙ black holes in NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636, respectively. The corresponding radiative efficiencies in this band are 4.1, 24, and 620 × 10^-6 using Bondi accretion rates derived from the Chandra hot interstellar gas surface brightness profiles. These limits are inconsistent with basic advection-dominated accretion flow models for NGC 1399 and NGC 4472, indicating accretion onto the black hole at ≲10% of the Bondi rate.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L21-L24
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	555
Issue number	1 PART 2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/323157
State	Published - Jul 1 2001
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

Accretion, accretion disks
Black hole physics
Galaxies: Elliptical and lenticular, cD
Galaxies: Nuclei
X-rays: Galaxies

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10.1086/323157

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title = "Chandra limits on X-ray emission associated with the supermassive black holes in three giant elliptical galaxies",

abstract = "Elliptical galaxy nuclei are the sites of the largest black holes known but typically show little or no nuclear activity. We investigate this extreme quiescence using Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations of the giant elliptical galaxies NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636. The unique Chandra imaging power enables us to place upper limits of 7.3, 15, and 28 × 10-9LEdd for the ∼108-109 M⊙ black holes in NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636, respectively. The corresponding radiative efficiencies in this band are 4.1, 24, and 620 × 10-6 using Bondi accretion rates derived from the Chandra hot interstellar gas surface brightness profiles. These limits are inconsistent with basic advection-dominated accretion flow models for NGC 1399 and NGC 4472, indicating accretion onto the black hole at ≲10% of the Bondi rate.",

keywords = "Accretion, accretion disks, Black hole physics, Galaxies: Elliptical and lenticular, cD, Galaxies: Nuclei, X-rays: Galaxies",

author = "Michael Loewenstein and Mushotzky, {Richard F.} and Lorella Angelini and Arnaud, {Keith A.} and Eliot Quataert",

year = "2001",

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doi = "10.1086/323157",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Chandra limits on X-ray emission associated with the supermassive black holes in three giant elliptical galaxies

AU - Loewenstein, Michael

AU - Mushotzky, Richard F.

AU - Angelini, Lorella

AU - Arnaud, Keith A.

AU - Quataert, Eliot

PY - 2001/7/1

Y1 - 2001/7/1

N2 - Elliptical galaxy nuclei are the sites of the largest black holes known but typically show little or no nuclear activity. We investigate this extreme quiescence using Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations of the giant elliptical galaxies NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636. The unique Chandra imaging power enables us to place upper limits of 7.3, 15, and 28 × 10-9LEdd for the ∼108-109 M⊙ black holes in NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636, respectively. The corresponding radiative efficiencies in this band are 4.1, 24, and 620 × 10-6 using Bondi accretion rates derived from the Chandra hot interstellar gas surface brightness profiles. These limits are inconsistent with basic advection-dominated accretion flow models for NGC 1399 and NGC 4472, indicating accretion onto the black hole at ≲10% of the Bondi rate.

AB - Elliptical galaxy nuclei are the sites of the largest black holes known but typically show little or no nuclear activity. We investigate this extreme quiescence using Chandra X-Ray Observatory observations of the giant elliptical galaxies NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636. The unique Chandra imaging power enables us to place upper limits of 7.3, 15, and 28 × 10-9LEdd for the ∼108-109 M⊙ black holes in NGC 1399, NGC 4472, and NGC 4636, respectively. The corresponding radiative efficiencies in this band are 4.1, 24, and 620 × 10-6 using Bondi accretion rates derived from the Chandra hot interstellar gas surface brightness profiles. These limits are inconsistent with basic advection-dominated accretion flow models for NGC 1399 and NGC 4472, indicating accretion onto the black hole at ≲10% of the Bondi rate.

KW - Accretion, accretion disks

KW - Black hole physics

KW - Galaxies: Elliptical and lenticular, cD

KW - Galaxies: Nuclei

KW - X-rays: Galaxies

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JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 PART 2

ER -

Chandra limits on X-ray emission associated with the supermassive black holes in three giant elliptical galaxies

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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