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| Paper: |
The Arkansas Galaxy Evolution Survey: SMBH Mass and Spiral Arm Morphology |
| Volume: |
480, Structure and Dynamics of Disk Galaxies |
| Page: |
196 |
| Authors: |
Seigar, M. S.; Berrier, J. C.; Davis, B. L.; Kennefick, D.; Kennefick, J.; Barrows, R. S.; Hartley, M. T.; Shields, D. W.; Bentz, M. C.; Lacy, C. H. S. |
| Abstract: |
We confirm the existence of a previously reported relationship between spiral arm pitch angle P (a measure of the tightness of spiral structure) and the mass MBH of a disk galaxy's central supermassive black hole (SMBH). We use an improved method to determine spiral arm pitch angles and generate quantitative data on this morphological feature for 34 galaxies with directly measured black hole masses, and a further 20 galaxies with measured core velocity dispersions. Such a relationship is predicted by leading theories of spiral structure (density wave theory, swing amplification, and manifold theory). We propose that this relationship be used as a method for estimating SMBH masses in disk galaxies. Spiral arm pitch angle can be measured from imaging data alone, and with the scatter in the presented relationship (0.45 dex), this tool is potentially superior when compared to other SMBH scaling relationship. |
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