ON THE MAXIMUM MASS OF STELLAR BLACK HOLES

We present the spectrum of compact object masses: neutron stars and black holes (BHs) that originate from single stars in different environments. In particular, we calculate the dependence of maximum BH mass on metallicity and on some specific wind mass loss rates (e.g., Hurley et al. and Vink et al.). Our calculations show that the highest mass BHs observed in the Galaxy Mbh ∼ 15 M☉ in the high metallicity environment (Z = Z☉ = 0.02) can be explained with stellar models and the wind mass loss rates adopted here. To reach this result we had to set luminous blue variable mass loss rates at the level of ∼10−4 M☉ yr−1 and to employ metallicity-dependent Wolf–Rayet winds. With such winds, calibrated on Galactic BH…