Astronomers have made an exciting discovery: a supermassive black hole is producing cosmic winds faster than ever recorded. This black hole is about 135 million light-years away, in the center of the NGC 3783 spiral galaxy. Researchers noticed a significant X-ray flare from this black hole, which led to winds blowing out at speeds over 37,000 miles per second—about one-fifth the speed of light.
Liyi Gu, an astronomer from the Space Research Organisation Netherlands, who led the study, expressed amazement at this event. “We’ve not watched a black hole create winds this speedily before,” he said. This particular black hole features an active galactic nucleus (AGN), which is a bright area surrounding the supermassive black hole. These regions can suddenly flare up, releasing jets of material and winds into space.
Gu and his team believe the observed X-ray burst and ensuing winds were likely caused by the black hole’s magnetic field. When it becomes tangled, it can suddenly “untwist,” similar to how our Sun releases powerful eruptions known as coronal mass ejections. The scale of these events in black holes is unimaginable, especially given that this black hole is equivalent to about 30 million suns.
The team utilized the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton and XRISM X-ray space telescopes. By using both telescopes together, they could track the initial flare and analyze the resulting winds, paving the way for future studies of other flaring AGNs.
Understanding these cosmic winds is important. Astrophysicist Camille Diez, also part of the research team, indicated that studying AGNs can offer insights into galaxy evolution. “Because they’re so influential, knowing more about the magnetism of AGNs and how they whip up winds is key to understanding the history of galaxies,” Diez noted.
This discovery highlights the dynamic nature of our universe, revealing just how significant black holes are in influencing the galaxies around them. Researchers are enthusiastic about the potential future studies on AGNs, which could deepen our understanding of cosmic phenomena.
For more detailed information, you can check the research published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics here.
