Resolving the black hole - nuclear cluster - spheroid connection Isophotal resolution of the inner parsecs of spheroidal stellar systems (Es, dEs, bulges) with black holes (BH) and/or nuclear clusters (cusp or core?) Masses of BHs and NCs in low mass galaxies via high spatial and spectral resolution spectroscopy + dynamical modelling (do NCs harbour intermediate-mass BHs?) Extension of the massBH/NC-sigma and massBH/NC-spheroid luminosity relation towards dE,Ns and small bulges (a continuum? Is there a switch from SMBHs to NCs?) Total time: in nights, using the approximate conversion factor 1n = 10h. Indicate also the ELT primary mirror size. #Cois: number of co-investigators PI Total time #CoIs, team Michael Hilker Large Programme: 4x5.0n (ELT 42m) 6-8 CoIs, experienced in AO and IFU data reduction (imaging and spectroscopy), isophotal analysis and dynamical modelling

The mass relations for central massive objects (CMOs) VCC1254 NGC 205 Ferrarese et al. (2006) Wehner & Harris (2006) What does this offset mean? Are there (no) black holes in nuclear clusters? What is the lowest mass BH in a galaxy core? Which process determines the switch between NC and BH? Are NCs the seeds of galaxies or rather assembled later?

1st objective: resolve the surface brightness profiles of nuclei and cores in the inner few parsecs for faint Es, dEs and bulges up to 20 Mpc (Virgo/Fornax distance) Half-light radii of nuclei: 4-20 pc at 4 Mpc at 20 Mpc 4pc 206 mas 41 mas 20pc 1031 mas 206 mas ~ 20x more distant NGC 205 at 830 kpc Virgo/Fornax dE nuclei at ~17 Mpc 5 mas pixel scale in H,K (5-10x better than HST) resolves to inner pc Vnuc<22 mag, representative sample of 100 NCs+BH can be observed in ~10 hours Butler et al. (2005)

2nd objective: mapping the velocity field of the inner parsecs of NCs, BHs and bulges with high spatial and spectral resolution as input for dynamical modelling Kinematical study of Virgo dEs Central velocity dispersion of nuclei: ~10-30 km/s Spectral resolution of 50.000 sufficient for velocity resolution of few km/s Geha et al. (2002) Kinematical study of NGC 205 10 mas pixel scale for spectroscopy 200x200 pixel IFU 2x2’’ FOV resolves inner 190 pc at 20 Mpc Vnuc= 22 mag ~5 hours integration time for R=50.000 in H-band sample of 100 NCs+BH can be observed in ~16 nights Large Programme over 4 periods De Rijcke et al. (2006)

ELT Justification: 5x better spatial resolution than ACS/HRC and high spectral resolution with reasonable S/N for faint objects within 20 Mpc. Legacy Value: Studying the integrated light in the cores of galaxies using population synthesis models. Data Reduction: Multiplexity: combination of high spatial and spectral resolution in the infrared. 2 µm  LTAO AO H band 10 2’’ 24n R:50000 104 B H,K band 5 20’’ 15h Imaging 1 A Notes Pixel FOV T. Mode MP Run FIRST TABLE MP – Multiplexity (e.g., number of slits) Mode – either imaging or spectral resolving power AO – AO mode: None (seeing limited), GLAO (Ground Layer AO), or LTAO (Laser Tomography AO). T. – observing time in hours (service mode) or nights (visitor mode). FOV – field of view Pixel – pixel scale in mas  – wavelength range Notes – free text SECOND TABLE Run: single or multiple runs to which the table row applies. ToT: time on target, in hours (the sum for a given run must be consistent with the run time). Notes: take advantage to specify, e.g., the signal-to-noise ratio reached. any Dec. S/N > 50 V<22 16n dE,Ns, bulges B S/N > 100 10h A Notes Mag ToT R.A. Target Run