• Media type: E-Article
  • Title: Observational evidence for stellar-mass black holes
  • Contributor: Casares, Jorge
  • Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP), 2006
  • Published in: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union, 2 (2006) S238, Seite 3-12
  • Language: English
  • DOI: 10.1017/s1743921307004590
  • ISSN: 1743-9213; 1743-9221
  • Origination:
  • Footnote:
  • Description: AbstractRadial velocity studies of X-ray binaries provide the most solid evidence for the existence of stellar-mass black holes. We currently have 20 confirmed cases, with dynamical masses in excess of 3 M⊙. Accurate masses have been obtained for a subset of systems which gives us a hint at the mass spectrum of the black hole population. This review summarizes the history of black hole discoveries and presents the latest results in the field.