English

Limits on the Position Wander of Sgr A*

Astrophysics 2009-11-13 v2

Abstract

We present measurements with the VLBA of the variability in the centroid position of Sgr A* relative to a background quasar at 7-mm wavelength. We find an average centroid wander of 71 +/- 45 micro-arcsec for time scales between 50 and 100 min and 113 +/- 50 micro-arcsec for timescales between 100 and 200 min, with no secular trend. These are sufficient to begin constraining the viability of the hot-spot model for the radio variability of Sgr A*. It is possible to rule out hot spots with orbital radii above 15GM_SgrA*/c^2 that contribute more than 30% of the total 7-mm flux. However, closer or less luminous hot spots remain unconstrained. Since the fractional variability of Sgr A* during our observations was ~20% on time scales of hours, the hot-spot model for Sgr A*'s radio variability remains consistent with these limits. Improved monitoring of Sgr A*'s centroid position has the potential to place significant constraints upon the existence and morphology of inhomogeneities in a supermassive black hole accretion flow.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0801.4505,
  title  = {Limits on the Position Wander of Sgr A*},
  author = {Mark J. Reid and Avery E. Broderick and Abraham Loeb and Mareki Honma and Andreas Brunthaler},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0801.4505},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

14 pages, 3 figures submitted to ApJ

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