The relation between globular cluster systems and supermassive black holes in spiral galaxies III. The link to the $M_\bullet-M_\ast$ correlation

TL;DR

This study investigates the relationship between globular cluster systems and supermassive black holes in spiral galaxies, revealing different correlations for spirals and ellipticals and suggesting co-evolution through secular processes.

Contribution

It extends the analysis of $N_{GC}$ and $M_ullet$ correlations to additional spiral galaxies and refines the $M_ullet$ versus $M_*$ relationship, highlighting differences between galaxy types.

Findings

Elliptical galaxies show a linear $M_ullet$-$N_{GC}$ correlation.

Late-type galaxies exhibit a steeper $M_ullet$-$N_{GC}$ relation.

Both galaxy types show similar $M_ullet$-$M_*$ correlations, implying co-evolution.

Abstract

We continue to explore the relationship between globular cluster total number, $N_{\rm GC}$, and central black hole mass, $M_\bullet$, in spiral galaxies. We present here results for the Sab galaxies NGC 3368, NGC 4736 (M 94) and NGC 4826 (M 64), and the Sm galaxy NGC 4395. The globular cluster (GC) candidate selection is based on the ($u^*$ - $i^\prime$) versus ($i^\prime$ - $K_s$) color-color diagram, and $i^\prime$-band shape parameters. We determine the $M_\bullet$ versus $N_{\rm GC}$ correlation for these spirals, plus NGC 4258, NGC 253, M 104, M 81, M 31, and the Milky Way. We also redetermine the correlation for the elliptical sample in Harris, Poole, & Harris (2014), with updated galaxy types from Sahu et al. 2019b. Additionally, we derive total stellar galaxy mass, $M_\ast$, from its two-slope correlation with $N_{\rm GC}$ (Hudson, Harris, & Harris 2014), and fit $M_\bullet$ versus $M_\ast$ for both spirals and ellipticals. We obtain log $M_\bullet \propto$ (1.01 $\pm$ 0.13) log $N_{\rm GC}$ for ellipticals, and log $M_\bullet \propto$ (1.64 $\pm$ 0.24) log $N_{\rm GC}$ for late type galaxies (LTG). The linear $M_\bullet$ versus $N_{\rm GC}$ correlation in ellipticals could be due to statistical convergence through mergers, but not the much steeper correlation for LTG. However, in the $M_\bullet$ versus total stellar mass ($M_\ast$) parameter space, with $M_\ast$ derived from its correlation with $N_{\rm GC}$, $M_\bullet \propto$ (1.48 $\pm$ 0.18) log $M_\ast$ for ellipticals, and $M_\bullet \propto$ (1.21 $\pm$ 0.16) log $M_\ast$ for LTG. The observed agreement between ellipticals and LTG in this parameter space may imply that black holes and galaxies co-evolve through "calm" accretion, AGN feedback, and other secular processes.