Galactic center G objects as dust-enshrouded stars near the supermassive black hole

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Zajaček, Michal, Pikhartová, Monika, Peissker, Florian
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Zajaček, Michal
Pikhartová, Monika
Peissker, Florian
author_facet Zajaček, Michal
Pikhartová, Monika
Peissker, Florian
contents In this contribution, we revisit the model of a dust-enshrouded star orbiting a low-luminosity galactic nucleus (Zajaček et al. 2014, 2016, 2017). Although it is quite challenging for dust to survive in hot X-ray-emitting plasma surrounding supermassive black holes (SMBHs), we now have an observational evidence that compact dusty objects or ``G'' objects can approach the SMBH in the Galactic center (Sgr A*) on the scale of a few 1000 gravitational radii. Since there are about ten G objects in the Galactic center, it is more likely that they are dust-enshrouded stars whose gaseous-dusty envelopes are stable within the corresponding tidal (Hill) radii of the order of a few astronomical units. Such a length-scale is consistent with their infrared broad-band spectral energy distributions. Broad emission lines, in particular Br$γ$ recombination line, can be interpreted to arise within the accretion stream from the circumstellar envelopes forming a compact disc that is truncated by the stellar magnetic field. Alternatively, they could also be associated with circumstellar accretion-disc outflows as well as the material within a denser bow shock ahead of the star. In comparison with the line origin in the photoionized envelopes that can generally be tidally stretched, the scenario involving the circumstellar accretion-disc inflow or outflow can ensure that the line luminosity is rather stable, except for the viewing-angle effects. We speculate about the origin of dust-enshrouded stars that could be young stellar objects or binary-merger products.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_00304
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Galactic center G objects as dust-enshrouded stars near the supermassive black hole
Zajaček, Michal
Pikhartová, Monika
Peissker, Florian
Astrophysics of Galaxies
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
In this contribution, we revisit the model of a dust-enshrouded star orbiting a low-luminosity galactic nucleus (Zajaček et al. 2014, 2016, 2017). Although it is quite challenging for dust to survive in hot X-ray-emitting plasma surrounding supermassive black holes (SMBHs), we now have an observational evidence that compact dusty objects or ``G'' objects can approach the SMBH in the Galactic center (Sgr A*) on the scale of a few 1000 gravitational radii. Since there are about ten G objects in the Galactic center, it is more likely that they are dust-enshrouded stars whose gaseous-dusty envelopes are stable within the corresponding tidal (Hill) radii of the order of a few astronomical units. Such a length-scale is consistent with their infrared broad-band spectral energy distributions. Broad emission lines, in particular Br$γ$ recombination line, can be interpreted to arise within the accretion stream from the circumstellar envelopes forming a compact disc that is truncated by the stellar magnetic field. Alternatively, they could also be associated with circumstellar accretion-disc outflows as well as the material within a denser bow shock ahead of the star. In comparison with the line origin in the photoionized envelopes that can generally be tidally stretched, the scenario involving the circumstellar accretion-disc inflow or outflow can ensure that the line luminosity is rather stable, except for the viewing-angle effects. We speculate about the origin of dust-enshrouded stars that could be young stellar objects or binary-merger products.
title Galactic center G objects as dust-enshrouded stars near the supermassive black hole
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.00304