NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011A-0170
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011A-0170 |
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PI: Jenny E Greene, UT Austin, jgreene@astro.as.utexas.edu
Address: Astronomy Department, 1 University Station, C1400, Austin, Tx 78712, US
CoI: Chien Peng, Victoria
CoI: Minjin Kim, NRAO
CoI: Cheng-Yu Kuo, UVa
CoI: James Braatz, NRAO
Title: The Hosts of Megamaser Disk Galaxies
Abstract: We propose to obtain multi-wavelength imaging of a new sample of exquisite megamaser disk galaxies. Much like in NGC 4258, the megamasers in our sample trace sub-pc, circumnuclear gas in Keplerian rotation around the central supermassive black holes (BHs). We are thus able to derive remarkably precise BH masses in these systems. As the megamasers are found in spiral galaxies with BH masses ~ 10^7 M_\odot, they offer a unique opportunity to study BH-bulge scaling relations in later-type galaxies. Ground-based UBIK imaging is needed to study the outer regions of these galaxies, as a complement to our ongoing \emphHST program to map their inner regions. With stellar- population and structural modeling, we will constrain BH-bulge scaling relations at low mass, study the relation between nuclear star clusters and supermassive BHs, and look for evidence of coincident star formation and accretion. The high-precision masses afforded by this sample of new megamaser galaxies provides a tremendous resource for our community that can only be adequately exploited with \emphHST+ground-based imaging.
National Optical Astronomy Observatory, 950 North Cherry Avenue, P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, Arizona 85726, Phone: (520) 318-8000, Fax: (520) 318-8360
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NOAO > Observing Info > Approved Programs > 2011A-0170 |
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