Open AccessEvidence for a massive dark object in NGC 4350
Author(s) -
Pignatelli Ezio,
Salucci Paolo,
Danese Luigi
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.03942.x
Subject(s) - physics , kinematics , astrophysics , stars , galaxy , component (thermodynamics) , astronomy , classical mechanics , thermodynamics
In this work we build a detailed dynamic model for an S0 galaxy possibly hosting a central massive dark object (MDO). We show that the photometric profiles and the kinematics along the major and minor axes, including the h 3 and h 4 profiles, imply the presence of a central MDO of mass i.e. 0.3–2.8 per cent of the mass derived for the stellar spheroidal component. Models without MDO are unable to reproduce the kinematic properties of the inner stars and of the rapidly rotating nuclear gas. The stellar population consists of an exponential disc (27 per cent of the light) and a diffuse spheroidal component (73 per cent of the light) that cannot be represented by a simple de Vaucouleurs profile at any radius. The M L ratios we found for the stellar components (3.3 and 6.6 respectively) are typical of those of disc and elliptical galaxies.