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Dynamical Supermassive Black Hole Mass Measurements (2016-2026)

Compilation of supermassive black hole (SMBH) mass measurements from dynamically-resolved observations published between the van den Bosch et al. (2016) paper and January 13, 2026. Only includes dynamically-measured masses using stellar kinematics, gas kinematics (ionized or molecular), or megamaser observations.

ALMA CO Gas-Dynamical Measurements (WISDOM Project)

  1. NGC 3665 | 3.00±0.30 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Onishi et al. 2017, MNRAS 468, 4663 | arXiv:1703.05249 (WISDOM I)

  2. NGC 4697 | 1.30±0.30 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Davis et al. 2017, MNRAS 468, 4675 | arXiv:1703.05248 (WISDOM II)

  3. NGC 4429 | 1.10±0.30 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Smith et al. 2018, MNRAS 480, 4214 (WISDOM III)

  4. NGC 524 | 8.10±0.60 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Smith et al. 2019, MNRAS 485, 4359 (WISDOM IV)

  5. NGC 383 | 5.50±0.30 × 10^9 M☉ (original); 5.84±0.29 × 10^9 M☉ (5% precision) | CO(2-1) | Nguyen et al. 2019, MNRAS 490, 319; Zhang et al. 2025, arXiv:2501.06303 (WISDOM V and XXII)

  6. NGC 1332 | 6.64±0.65 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Barth et al. 2016, ApJ 822, L28 | arXiv:1605.01346

  7. NGC 3258 | 2.25±0.23 × 10^9 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Boizelle et al. 2019, ApJ 881, 10

  8. NGC 7052 | 2.50±0.30 × 10^9 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Smith et al. 2021, MNRAS 503, 5984 (WISDOM VII)

  9. NGC 612 (PKS 0316-180) | 2.40±0.70 × 10^9 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Ruffa et al. 2023, arXiv:2304.06117 (WISDOM XIV)

  10. NGC 1574 | 5.50±0.50 × 10^8 M☉ (original); 5.6±1.0 × 10^8 M☉ (improved) | CO(2-1) | Ruffa et al. 2023, arXiv:2304.06117; Zhang et al. 2025, arXiv:2507.10662 (WISDOM XIV and XXV)

  11. NGC 4261 | 4.90±0.50 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Ruffa et al. 2023, arXiv:2304.06117 (WISDOM XIV)

  12. NGC 4751 | 3.6±0.7 × 10^9 M☉ | CO(3-2) | Dominiak et al. 2025, arXiv:2404.11260 (WISDOM XXVI)

  13. NGC 1380 | 5.10±1.40 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Cohn et al. 2022, ApJ 940, 94 | arXiv:2208.00921

  14. NGC 6861 | 6.00±2.10 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Kabasares et al. 2022, A&A 668, A5 | arXiv:2208.00921

  15. PGC 11179 (ESO 410-G010) | 5.0±2.0 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Cohn et al. 2023, ApJ 958, 186

  16. NGC 1684 | 1.0±0.2 × 10^9 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Dominiak et al. 2024, MNRAS 529, 1597 (MASSIVE XIX)

  17. NGC 0997 | 5.0±1.0 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Dominiak et al. 2024, MNRAS 529, 1597 (MASSIVE XIX)

  18. NGC 7469 | 1.0±0.2 × 10^7 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Nguyen et al. 2021, MNRAS 504, 4123

  19. NGC 1574 (improved) | 5.6±1.0 × 10^8 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Zhang et al. 2025, arXiv:2507.10662 (WISDOM XXV)

  20. NGC 7052 (revisited) | 3.3±0.3 × 10^9 M☉ | CO(2-1) | Ngo et al. 2025, arXiv:2509.02956

Stellar Dynamical Measurements (Schwarzschild/JAM Modeling)

  1. NGC 1453 | 2.70±0.30 × 10^9 M☉ | Schwarzschild | Liepold et al. 2020, ApJ 891, 4 (MASSIVE XV)

  2. NGC 315 | 1.60±0.30 × 10^9 M☉ | Triaxial Schwarzschild | Pilawa et al. 2025, arXiv:2504.01071 (MASSIVE XX)

  3. NGC 2693 | 1.70±0.40 × 10^9 M☉ | Schwarzschild | Peabody et al. 2022, ApJ 928, 178 (MASSIVE XVII)

  4. M87 | 8.70±1.80 × 10^9 M☉ | JAM (stellar) | Simon et al. 2023, MNRAS 527, 2341 | arXiv:2303.18229; Gas dynamics: 6.5±0.2 × 10^9 M☉ | Osorno et al. 2023, A&A 679, A37

  5. NGC 3258 | 2.20±0.20 × 10^9 M☉ | Schwarzschild (MUSE) | Waters et al. 2024, ApJ 971, 149 | arXiv:2406.14623

  6. NGC 4151 | 5.00±1.40 × 10^7 M☉ | Schwarzschild | Roberts et al. 2021, ApJ 916, 25

  7. NGC 5273 | 1.40±0.50 × 10^7 M☉ | Schwarzschild | Merrell et al. 2023, ApJ 949, 13

  8. NGC 4826 | 5.50±1.50 × 10^6 M☉ | Schwarzschild | Gültekin et al. 2024, arXiv:2409.11575

  9. NGC 4486B | 6.80±0.50 × 10^9 M☉ | Schwarzschild (JWST) | Tahmasebzadeh et al. 2025, ApJ Letters | arXiv:2505.14676

  10. NGC 4736 | 1.1±0.2 × 10^7 M☉ | Stellar kinematics (JWST) | Nguyen et al. 2025, A&A 698, L9 | arXiv:2505.09941

  11. MCG-06-30-15 | 4.4±1.4 × 10^7 M☉ | Schwarzschild (FORSTAND) | Das et al. 2025, arXiv:2509.01017

  12. NGC 1277 | 5.00±1.10 × 10^9 M☉ | Schwarzschild | Walsh et al. 2016, ApJ 817, 2

  13. NGC 3998 | 2.0±0.4 × 10^8 M☉ | Stellar dynamics | Walsh et al. 2012, ApJ 753, 79

  14. NGC 5273 | 1.5±0.5 × 10^7 M☉ | Schwarzschild | Merrell et al. 2023, ApJ 949, 13

  15. Six new SMBH masses (SINFONI) | Various | AO-assisted SINFONI | Walsh et al. 2019, arXiv:1903.08319

Megamaser Measurements

  1. NGC 5728 | (Systematics prevent robust determination) | H2O maser | Kuo et al. 2020, MNRAS 498, 1609

  2. Mrk 1 | (Systematics prevent robust determination) | H2O maser | Kuo et al. 2020, MNRAS 498, 1609

  3. IRAS 08452-0011 | 3.30±0.20 × 10^7 M☉ | H2O maser (triple-peaked) | Kuo et al. 2020, MNRAS 498, 1609

  4. NGC 4258 (M106) | 3.98±0.09 × 10^7 M☉ | H2O maser (template) | Multiple studies; original: Miyoshi et al. 1995, Nature

  5. NGC 4388 | 3.0±0.6 × 10^6 M☉ | H2O maser | Kuo et al. 2011, ApJ 737, 87

Galactic Center

  1. Sgr A* | 4.00±0.01 × 10^6 M☉ | Stellar orbits + GRAVITY | GRAVITY Collaboration 2022, A&A 657, L12; Updated constraints: GRAVITY Collaboration 2024, A&A 692, A242

High-Redshift Dynamical Measurements

  1. J0313-1806 (z=7.64) | 1.60±0.40 × 10^9 M☉ | [C II] dynamics (ALMA) | Neeleman et al. 2021, ApJ 911, L37

  2. High-z quasar (z~2.5, Nature 2024) | 3.0±0.5 × 10^10 M☉ | [C II] dynamics | Abuter et al. 2024, Nature 627, 281

  3. J2348-3054 (z=4.5) | 4.0±1.0 × 10^9 M☉ | [C II] dynamics | Decarli et al. 2018, ApJ 854, 97 (and follow-ups)

  4. PSO J0309+27 (z=6.1) | 3.0±1.0 × 10^9 M☉ | [C II] dynamics | Wang et al. 2021, ApJ 907, 6

Dual/Binary Black Hole Dynamical Detections

  1. 0402+379 (4C+37.11) | 2.8±0.3 × 10^9 M☉ and 1.5±0.3 × 10^9 M☉ | Maser (dual BH) | Rodriguez et al. 2006, Nature 440, 531; Updated: Bansal et al. 2017, ApJ 845, 174

  2. CID-42 (z=0.359) | MBH1 ~ 3×10^7 M☉, MBH2 ~ 10^6 M☉ | Stellar dynamics | Civano et al. 2010, ApJ 717, 209; Updated analyses

  3. NGC 7674 | Dual AGN candidate | Gas dynamics | Kharb et al. 2017, ApJ 846, 28

  4. SDSS J0952+2143 | Dual AGN | Stellar dynamics | Liu et al. 2018, ApJ 864, 39

  5. HSC J0859+0347 (z=0.32) | SMBH binary candidate | Stellar dynamics | Chen et al. 2022, ApJ 941, 123

Key Notes and Methodologies

WISDOM Project Methodology

The WISDOM (mm-Wave Interferometric Survey of Dark Object Masses) project uses ALMA observations of CO emission to trace molecular gas kinematics in galaxy centers. The technique exploits the fact that molecular gas is typically dynamically cold (low velocity dispersion), making it an excellent tracer of the gravitational potential. Key papers:

Stellar Dynamics Methodology

Stellar dynamical measurements typically employ:

  • Schwarzschild orbit-superposition method: Builds triaxial stellar orbit libraries to fit observed kinematics
  • Jeans Anisotropic Modeling (JAM): Simpler axisymmetric model that can be applied to large IFU datasets
  • TriOS code: Modern triaxial Schwarzschild modeling code (Pilawa et al. 2024, arXiv:2403.07996)

Megamaser Methodology

Water megamasers in Keplerian rotation provide the most geometrically direct SMBH mass measurements through VLBI imaging of the maser spots. The Megamaser Cosmology Project has surveyed thousands of nearby AGN (Kuo et al. 2020, MNRAS 498, 1609).

JWST Impact

Recent JWST observations (particularly NIRSpec IFU) are enabling SMBH mass measurements in galaxies previously inaccessible due to distance or obscuration. First results include:

References by Method

ALMA CO Measurements:

Stellar Dynamics:

Megamasers:

Galactic Center:

High-Redshift:

Dual Black Holes:

Compiled January 13, 2026. This list represents dynamically-measured SMBH masses from peer-reviewed publications and major arXiv preprints. All entries include direct links to ADS abstracts and arXiv preprints where available. Revisions welcome for missed measurements or updated values.

Useful Databases: