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J. Noel-Storr (Columbia University), S. A. Baum (STScI), C. M. Carollo (Columbia University), C. P. O'Dea (STScI), G. A. Verdoes Kleijn (Leiden University), R. P. van der Marel (STScI), P. T. de Zeeuw (Leiden University)
We present the initial results of our analysis of line emission produced in gas disks found at the centers of a sample of nearby, radio galaxies with radio jets. We obtained data using STIS (The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph) at three parallel slit positions on the nucleus of each galaxy. This allows us to map the H\alpha + [NII] flux, the gas radial velocity and the velocity dispersion. We find we can not rule out a rotating disk model for the gas in any case. For rotating systems, we find the minimum central enclosed mass is greater than or about the predicted black hole mass based on ground based stellar velocity dispersions (e.g. Ferrarese & Merritt 2001, and Gebhardt, et al. 2000). Using these data we will go on to investigate the masses of black holes in this well-defined sample along with the properties of the gas disks themselves, giving us an insight into fueling, ionization mechanisms and structure of the central regions.
Support for this work was provided by NASA through grant number HST-GO-08236.01-A from the Space Telescope Science Institute.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: jake@astro.columbia.edu