Unlocking the Secrets of Black Holes: NASA’s IXPE Discovers X-Ray Particles in Jet Streams

Scientists recently unraveled a significant mystery about the blazar BL Lacertae, a supermassive black hole. This intriguing discovery focuses on how X-rays are generated in its extreme environment. With the help of NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer), researchers collaborated with radio and optical telescopes, aiming to understand the processes responsible for X-ray emissions.

The research, available on the arXiv preprint server and set for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters, showed that fast-moving electrons and photons interact to generate X-rays. Prior to this, scientists debated two possible causes: protons or electrons. Each would produce different polarization signatures in the X-ray light, an important clue to their origin.

High polarization would indicate that protons are responsible, while lower polarization suggests that electrons are the key players. IXPE, the only satellite of its kind, specializes in measuring such polarization, making it a critical tool for this research.

“This was one of the biggest mysteries about supermassive black hole jets,” said Iván Agudo, the lead author of the study from the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC in Spain. “IXPE and supporting telescopes provided the means to solve it.”

Analyzing the interactions, scientists discovered that Compton scattering was involved. This occurs when a photon exchanges energy with an electron. Within the powerful jets of supermassive black holes, electrons travel near the speed of light, scattering photons from infrared to X-ray wavelengths.

BL Lacertae, one of the first blazars discovered, was originally thought to be a variable star in its constellation. IXPE observed it for a week in November 2023, coinciding with an optical polarization peak of 47.5%. “This is a record in blazar observations,” noted co-author Ioannis Liodakis, an astrophysicist at FORTH in Greece.

Interestingly, the X-rays found were much less polarized than the optical light. The maximum X-ray polarization measured was only 7.6%, confirming that electrons and photons interact through Compton scattering to produce X-rays.

“There’s a significant difference in polarization between optical and X-ray light, reinforcing our findings on Compton scattering,” explained Steven Ehlert, IXPE project scientist from the Marshall Space Flight Center. Enrico Costa, another key scientist behind the IXPE project, commented, “IXPE has resolved several black hole mysteries, and this is among the most crucial.”

Looking ahead, researchers are eager to explore more blazars. “Blazars can be unpredictable, and new discoveries are always on the horizon,” Ehlert added.

For further reading on similar groundbreaking research, check out Phys.org.

Recent studies show that understanding black holes like BL Lacertae can help us learn more about the universe. As astronomers continue to investigate these fascinating phenomena, they may uncover even more secrets about the fabric of space and time.

Source link

Science, Physics News, Science news, Technology News, Physics, Materials, Nanotech, Technology, Science