Can High-Velocity Stars Reveal Black Holes in Globular Clusters?

Abstract

We estimate the number of individual, fast-moving stars observable in globular clusters under the assumption that the clusters contain massive central black holes which follow the galactic black-hole mass vs. sigma relationship. We find that radial velocity measurements are unlikely to detect such stars, but that proper motion studies could reveal such stars, if they exist, in the most likely clusters. Thus, HST proper motion studies can test this hypothesis in a few nearby clusters.