Abstract
We report the discovery of molecular gas streams orbiting around an invisible massive object in the central region of our Galaxy, based on the high-resolution molecular line observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. The morphology and kinematics of these streams can be reproduced well through two Keplerian orbits around a single point mass of (3.2 ± 0.6) ×10 4 M o . We also found ionized gas toward the inner part of the orbiting gas, indicating dissociative shock and/or photoionization. Our results provide new circumstantial evidences for a wandering intermediate-mass black hole in the Galactic center, suggesting also that high-velocity compact clouds can be probes of quiescent black holes that abound in our Galaxy.
Original language | English |
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Article number | L1 |
Journal | Astrophysical Journal Letters |
Volume | 871 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2019 Jan 20 |
Keywords
- Galaxy: center
- ISM: clouds
- ISM: molecules
- submillimeter: ISM
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Space and Planetary Science