We present 3D kinematic observations of stars within the central 0.5 pc of the Milky Way nuclear star cluster using adaptive optics imaging and spectroscopy from the Keck telescopes. Recent observations have shown that the cluster has a shallower sur
face density profile than expected for a dynamically relaxed cusp, leading to important implications for its formation and evolution. However, the true three dimensional profile of the cluster is unknown due to the difficulty in de-projecting the stellar number counts. Here, we use spherical Jeans modeling of individual proper motions and radial velocities to constrain for the first time, the de-projected spatial density profile, cluster velocity anisotropy, black hole mass ($M_mathrm{BH}$), and distance to the Galactic center ($R_0$) simultaneously. We find that the inner stellar density profile of the late-type stars, $rho(r)propto r^{-gamma}$ to have a power law slope $gamma=0.05_{-0.60}^{+0.29}$, much more shallow than the frequently assumed Bahcall $&$ Wolf slope of $gamma=7/4$. The measured slope will significantly affect dynamical predictions involving the cluster, such as the dynamical friction time scale. The cluster core must be larger than 0.5 pc, which disfavors some scenarios for its origin. Our measurement of $M_mathrm{BH}=5.76_{-1.26}^{+1.76}times10^6$ $M_odot$ and $R_0=8.92_{-0.55}^{+0.58}$ kpc is consistent with that derived from stellar orbits within 1$^{primeprime}$ of Sgr A*. When combined with the orbit of S0-2, the uncertainty on $R_0$ is reduced by 30% ($8.46_{-0.38}^{+0.42}$ kpc). We suggest that the MW NSC can be used in the future in combination with stellar orbits to significantly improve constraints on $R_0$.
We present new observations and analysis of G2 - the intriguing red emission-line object which is quickly approaching the Galaxys central black hole. The observations were obtained with the laser guide star adaptive optics systems on the W. M. Keck I
and II telescopes and include spectroscopy (R ~ 3600) centered on the Hydrogen Br-gamma line as well as K (2.1 micrometer) and L (3.8 micrometer) imaging. Analysis of these observations shows the Br-gamma line emission has a positional offset from the L continuum. This offset is likely due to background source confusion at L. We therefore present the first orbital solution derived from Br-gamma line astrometry, which when coupled with radial velocity measurements, results in a later time of closest approach (2014.21 +/- 0.14), closer periastron (130 AU, 1900Rs), and higher eccentricity (0.9814 +/- 0.0060) compared to a solution using L astrometry. The new orbit casts doubt on previous associations of G2 and a low surface brightness tail. It is shown that G2 has no K counterpart down to K ~ 20 mag. G2s L continuum and the Br-gamma line-emission is unresolved in almost all epochs; however it is marginally extended in our highest quality Br-gamma data set from 2006 and exhibits a clear velocity gradient at that time. While the observations altogether suggest that G2 has a gaseous component which is tidally interacting with the central black hole, there is likely a central star providing the self-gravity necessary to sustain the compact nature of this object.
We present the longest, by a factor of two, near-infrared lightcurve from Sgr A* - the supermassive black hole in the Galactic center. Achieved by combining Keck and VLT data from one common night, which fortuitously had simultaneous Chandra and SMA
data, this lightcurve is used to address two outstanding problems. First, a putative quasi-periodicity of ~20 min reported by groups using ESOs VLT is not confirmed by Keck observations. Second, while the infrared and mm-regimes are thought to be related based on reported time lags between lightcurves from the two wavelength domains, the reported time lag of 20 min inferred using the Keck data of this common VLT/Keck night only is at odds with the lag of ~100 min reported earlier. With our long lightcurve, we find that (i) the simultaneous 1.3 millimeter observations are in fact consistent with a ~100 min time lag, (ii) the different methods of NIR photometry used by the VLT and Keck groups lead to consistent results, (iii) the Lomb-Scargle periodogram of the whole NIR lightcurve is featureless and follows a power-law with slope -1.6, and (iv) scanning the lightcurve with a sliding window to look for a transient QPO phenomenon reveals for a certain part of the lightcurve a 25 min peak in the periodogram. Using Monte Carlo simulations and taking the number of trials into account, we find it to be insignificant.
