Scientists Capture a Plasma Jet Ejected from a Black Hole at Near-Light Speed During a Galaxy Collision.
The “supermassive” black hole is located at the center of Galaxy RAD12, and its colossal plasma jet is bombarding the neighboring galaxy RAD12-B. Both galaxies are approximately one billion light-years away from Earth and are currently in a merger phase. This discovery marks the first time a jet of material has been observed emanating from one galaxy and attacking another, as reported by Space on October 16.
Astronomical jets, which consist of ionized gas and electrons, are typically observed in pairs moving in opposite directions at speeds close to that of light. What makes the case of RAD12 unique is that its black hole appears to be emitting a single plasma jet directed towards RAD12-B. This peculiar phenomenon remains a mystery to scientists.
The research team believes that deciphering this mystery will enhance our understanding of star formation during galaxy merger events, as jets are known to blow away cold gas and create the “building blocks” for the birth of new stars.
Plasma jet ejected from the center of Galaxy RAD12 attacking Galaxy RAD12-B. (Photo: Ananda Hota/GMRT/CFHT/MeerKAT)
To observe the collision between RAD12 and RAD12-B, astronomers utilized the giant GMRT radio telescope in India, in conjunction with data from several other telescopes, including the MeerKAT radio telescope – a network of 64 antennas – located within the Meerkat National Park in South Africa.
According to the lead researcher Ananda Hota, an assistant professor in the Department of Atomic Energy at the University of Mumbai in India, the conical jet emitted from the black hole at the center of RAD12 extends up to 440,000 light-years, longer than its host galaxy, and has traveled far enough to collide with the neighboring galaxy GMRT.
Hota noted that this discovery also benefited greatly from the contributions of thousands of students and citizen scientists across India. The details of the study have been published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society: Letters.
