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Description
By combining high spatial resolution and wide-field spectroscopy performed, respectively, with SINFONI and FLAMES at the ESO/VLT we measured the radial velocities of more than 600 stars in the direction of NGC 6388, a Galactic globular cluster which is suspected to host an intermediate-mass black hole. Approximately 55% of the observed targets turned out to be cluster members. The cluster velocity dispersion has been derived from the radial velocity of individual stars: 52 measurements in the innermost 2", and 276 stars located between 18" and 600". The velocity dispersion profile shows a central value of ~13km/s, a flat behavior out to ~60" and a decreasing trend outward. The comparison with spherical and isotropic models shows that the observed density and velocity dispersion profiles are inconsistent with the presence of a central black hole more massive than ~2000M_{sun}_. These findings are at odds with recent results obtained from integrated light spectra, showing a velocity dispersion profile with a steep central cusp of 23-25km/s at r<2" and suggesting the presence of a black hole with a mass of ~1.7x10^4^M_{sun}_. We also found some evidence of systemic rotation with amplitude A_rot_~8km/s in the innermost 2" (0.13pc), decreasing to A_rot_=3.2km/s at 18"<r<160".
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