The unbridled voracity of black holes
Summary:
Virtually all galaxies are believed to harbor a large supermassive black hole in their center, whose mass can reach millions or even billions of times the mass of our Sun. This mass increases as they devour the interstellar material that abounds in their intonation of galactic centers. Until now, everything seemed to indicate that the black holes were growing in a similar way to the galaxies that house them. However, two recent independent studies have just refuted this assumption.
They have concluded that, comparatively, black holes grow much faster in the most massive galaxies.
Link:
Publication date:
21/02/18
Scientific field:
Astronomy.
Glossary:
Black hole: a region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape.
X-rays: an electromagnetic wave of high energy and very short wavelength, which is able to pass through many materials opaque to light.
Galaxy: a large system of stars held together by mutual gravitation and isolated from similar systems by vast regions of space.
Interferometer: optical instrument employing light wave interference to measure wavelengths of the same light with high precision.
X-rays: an electromagnetic wave of high energy and very short wavelength, which is able to pass through many materials opaque to light.
Galaxy: a large system of stars held together by mutual gravitation and isolated from similar systems by vast regions of space.
Interferometer: optical instrument employing light wave interference to measure wavelengths of the same light with high precision.
Analysis comment:
This article talks about the growth of black holes compared to the galaxy they are in, as two recent studies have changed the perspective we had so far of them.
For both studies, the Chandra X-ray space telescope was used. In addition, Hubble was used for the first one. For the second one, they made radio wave observations with some of the best interferometers. The conclusion of both observations is that black holes feed faster and more efficiently in very massive galaxies than in less massive ones.
Firstly, I have been informing myself and, from what we can see, there are two hypotheses to explain the results given in the experiments.
The first is that the black holes may have started before the race to grow, that is, they may have formed before the rest of the galaxy in which they are immersed.
The second is that they had an advantage in their speed of growth that has lasted billions of years.
It is believed that the main "food" of these black holes is interstellar gas, it seems that this gas might preferably be available in the galactic centers thus helping to try to satiate its voracity.
In conclusion, I believe that black holes are very difficult to study, just like space, but these studies refute old hypotheses and place us a little closer to knowing the galaxy we are in, which is what science is all about.
This article talks about the growth of black holes compared to the galaxy they are in, as two recent studies have changed the perspective we had so far of them.
For both studies, the Chandra X-ray space telescope was used. In addition, Hubble was used for the first one. For the second one, they made radio wave observations with some of the best interferometers. The conclusion of both observations is that black holes feed faster and more efficiently in very massive galaxies than in less massive ones.
Firstly, I have been informing myself and, from what we can see, there are two hypotheses to explain the results given in the experiments.
The first is that the black holes may have started before the race to grow, that is, they may have formed before the rest of the galaxy in which they are immersed.
The second is that they had an advantage in their speed of growth that has lasted billions of years.
It is believed that the main "food" of these black holes is interstellar gas, it seems that this gas might preferably be available in the galactic centers thus helping to try to satiate its voracity.
In conclusion, I believe that black holes are very difficult to study, just like space, but these studies refute old hypotheses and place us a little closer to knowing the galaxy we are in, which is what science is all about.
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