Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-22-2014

Publication Title

The Astrophysical Journal Letters

Volume

795

Abstract

We have found that the brightest cluster galaxy (BCG) in A85, Holm 15A, displays the largest core known so far. Its cusp radius, r γ = 4.57 ± 0.06 kpc (426 ± 006), is more than 18 times larger than the mean for BCGs and 1 kpc larger than A2261-BCG, hitherto the largest-cored BCG. Holm 15A hosts the luminous amorphous radio source 0039-095B and has the optical signature of a LINER. Scaling laws indicate that this core could host a supermassive black hole (SMBH) of mass M • ~ (109-1011) M ☉. We suggest that cores this large represent a relatively short phase in the evolution of BCGs, whereas the masses of their associated SBMH might be set by initial conditions.

Issue

2

DOI

10.1088/2041-8205/795/2/L31

ISSN

2041-8213

Rights

© 2014. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.

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