Axisymmetric dynamical models for SAURON and OASIS observations of NGC 3377

  • 17 November 2003
Abstract
We present a unique set of nested stellar kinematical maps of NGC 3377 obtained with the integral-field spectrographs OASIS and SAURON. We then construct general axisymmetric dynamical models for this galaxy, based on the Schwarzschild numerical orbit superposition technique applied to these complementary measurements. We show how these two datasets constrain the mass of the central massive object and the overall mass-to-light ratio of the galaxy by probing the inner and outer regions respectively. The simultaneous use of both datasets leads us to confirm the presence of a massive black hole with a mass of $M_{BH} = 7_{-5}^{+4} 10^{7} M_\sun$ (99.7% confidence level), with a best-fit stellar mass-to-light ratio $\Upsilon_I = 2.1 \pm 0.2$ (for an assumed edge-on inclination).

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