Unveiling a population of galaxies harboring low-mass black holes with X-rays

TL;DR

This study discovers and characterizes three low-mass black hole candidates in low-mass galaxies at z<0.3 using deep X-ray and multi-wavelength observations, revealing their properties and significance for understanding black hole seed formation.

Contribution

First identification of low-mass black holes in low-mass galaxies at low redshift using X-ray data combined with optical and infrared observations.

Findings

Black holes with M_BH ~ 2*10^5 M_sun detected in low-mass galaxies.

Host galaxies have stellar masses below 3*10^9 M_sun.

X-ray luminosities are consistent with accreting black holes, not star formation.

Abstract

We report the discovery of three low-mass black hole candidates residing in the centers of low-mass galaxies at z<0.3 in the Chandra Deep Field - South Survey. These black holes are initially identified as candidate active galactic nuclei based on their X-ray emission in deep Chandra observations. Multi-wavelength observations are used to strengthen our claim that such emission is powered by an accreting supermassive black hole. While the X-ray luminosities are low at L_X ~ 10^40 erg s^-1 (and variable in one case), we argue that they are unlikely to be attributed to star formation based on H\alpha or UV-fluxes. Optical spectroscopy with Keck/DEIMOS and VLT/FORS allows us to (1) measure accurate redshifts, (2) confirm their low stellar host mass, (3) investigate the source(s) of photo-ionization, and (4) estimate extinction. With stellar masses of M* < 3*10^9 M_\sun determined from HST/ACS imaging, the host galaxies are among the lowest mass systems known to host actively accreting black holes. We estimate BH masses M_BH ~ 2*10^5 M_\sun based on scaling relations between BH mass and host properties for more luminous systems. In one case, a broad component of the H\alpha emission-line profile is detected thus providing a virial mass estimate. Black holes in such low-mass galaxies are of considerable interest as the low-redshift analogs to the seeds of the most massive BHs at high redshift which have remained largely elusive to date. Our study highlights the power of deep X-ray surveys to uncover such low-mass systems.