How Special are Brightest Cluster Galaxies? The Impact of Near-Infrared Luminosities on Scaling Relations for BCGs

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  • 10 October 2006
Abstract
Using the extended J, H and K magnitudes provided by the 2MASS data archive, we have considered the position of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs) in the observed relations between supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass and the host galaxy properties, as well as their position in the stellar velocity dispersion and luminosity (sigma-L) relation, compared to E and S0 galaxies. We find that SMBH masses (M) derived from near-infrared (NIR) magnitudes do not exceed ~ 3E9Msun and that these masses agree well with the SMBH mass predictions made from stellar velocity dispersions. In the NIR, there is no evidence that BCGs depart from the sigma-L relation defined by less luminous early-type galaxies. The higher SMBH masses predicted from V-band luminosities (M ~ 3.2E10Msun) are attributed to the presence of extended blue envelopes around the BCGs.

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