# The Spin of M87*

## TL;DR

This paper constrains the spin and magnetic flux of M87*'s black hole using relativistic jet measurements and models, indicating a moderate spin and a magnetically arrested disk state.

## Contribution

It provides the first constraints on M87*'s spin and magnetic flux using jet power and accretion rate models, favoring a magnetically arrested disk.

## Key findings

- Lower limit on spin a* > 0.4 (prograde) and > 0.5 (retrograde)
- Lower limit on magnetic flux phi > 6 (prograde) and > 10 (retrograde)
- Disfavors low phi SANE models

## Abstract

Now that the mass of the central black hole in the galaxy M87 has been measured with great precision using different methods, the remaining parameter of the Kerr metric that needs to be estimated is the spin a*. We have modeled measurements of the average power of the relativistic jet and an upper limit to the mass accretion rate onto the black hole with general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic models of jet formation. This allows us to derive constraints on a* and the black hole magnetic flux phi. We find a lower limit on M87*'s spin and magnetic flux of a* > 0.4 and phi > 6 in the prograde case, and a* > 0.5 and phi > 10 in the retrograde case, otherwise the black hole is not able to provide enough energy to power the observed jet. These results indicate that M87* has a moderate spin at minimum and disfavor a variety of models typified by low values of phi known as ``SANE'', indicating that M87* prefers the magnetically arrested disk state. We discuss how different estimates of the jet power and accretion rate can impact a* and phi.