SDSS J085431.18+173730.5: The FIRST COMPACT ELLIPTICAL GALAXY HOSTING AN ACTIVE NUCLEUS

Sanjaya Paudel, Michael Hilker, Change Hee Ree, Minjin Kim

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9 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report the discovery of a rare compact early-type galaxy, SDSS J085431.18+173730.5 (hereafter cE-AGN). It has a half-light radius of Re =490 pc and a brightness of Mr =-18.08 mag. Optical spectroscopy available from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) reveals the presence of prominent broad-line emissions with the Hα broad component width of FWHM =2400 km s-1. The black hole (BH) mass, as estimated from the luminosity and width of the broad Hα emission, is 2.1x106. With the help of surface photometry, we perform a detailed analysis of the structural properties. The observed light distribution is best modeled with a double Sérsic function. Fixing the outer component as an exponential disk, we find that the inner component has a Sérsic index of n =1.4. Considering the inner component as bulge/spheroidal we find that cE-AGN remains consistent in both the BH mass-bulge mass relation and the BH mass-bulge Sérsic index relation. Given these observational properties, we discuss its possible origin investigating the surrounding environment where it is located.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL19
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume820
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Mar 2016

Keywords

  • galaxies: active
  • galaxies: bulges
  • galaxies: dwarf
  • galaxies: elliptical and lenticular, cD
  • galaxies: individual (SDSS J085431.18+173730.5)
  • galaxies: stellar content

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