Intermediate-Mass Black Holes in Globular Clusters

TL;DR

This paper investigates the potential correlation between intermediate-mass black holes and globular clusters, proposing a model that relates IMBH mass to the cluster's stellar velocity, inspired by galaxy-black hole relations.

Contribution

It introduces a self-similar polytropic model to predict IMBH formation in globular clusters and derives a new mass-velocity relation for IMBHs.

Findings

Proposes a criterion for IMBH formation in GCs.

Derives a mathematical relation: M(BH) = L o^1/(1-n).

Suggests a possible correlation similar to galaxy-black hole relations.

Abstract

There have been reports of possible detections of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) in globular clusters (GCs). Empirically, there exists a tight correlation between the central supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass and the mean velocity dispersion of elliptical galaxies, "pseudobulges" and classical bulges of spiral galaxies. We explore such a possible correlation for IMBHs in spherical GCs. In our model of self-similar general polytropic quasi-static dynamic evolution of GCs, a criterion of forming an IMBH is proposed. The key result is M(BH) = L o^1/(1-n) where M(BH) is the IMBH mass, o is the GC mean stellar velocity, L is a coefficient, and 2/3 < n < 1.