In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have provided concrete evidence of the spin of the supermassive black hole residing at the core of the M87 galaxy. This revelation comes from a meticulous analysis of over two decades of data gathered from a global network of radio telescopes. This significant milestone not only confirms the black hole’s rotation but also contributes to the expanding body of knowledge about these enigmatic cosmic entities.
The M87 galaxy, situated 55 million light-years away within the Virgo constellation, boasts a supermassive black hole a staggering 6.5 billion times more massive than our Sun. This black hole previously gained fame for being the subject of the first-ever image capturing a black hole’s shadow, an achievement accomplished by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) in 2019. At its core, the M87 black hole features an accretion disk, responsible for funneling matter into the black hole, and a high-speed jet that propels matter outward at nearly the speed of light.
To ascertain the black hole’s spin, an international team meticulously examined observational data collected over 170 time frames. These data were meticulously gathered by a consortium of over 20 radio telescopes across the globe, including the East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN), the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), the joint array of KVN and VERA (KaVA), and the East Asia to Italy Nearly Global (EATING) VLBI network.
The results of this comprehensive analysis reveal that the gravitational interactions occurring between the accretion disk and the black hole’s spin lead to a noticeable wobble in the base of the jet. This precession effect mirrors the way Earth precesses due to gravitational forces within our solar system. Importantly, this research directly links the dynamics of the jet to the central supermassive black hole, offering unequivocal evidence of the black hole’s spin. Over an 11-year precession period, the jet’s direction shifts by approximately 10 degrees, aligning with theoretical simulations conducted by ATERUI II at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ).
Lead author Yuzhu Cui, who initiated this research during her graduate studies at NAOJ before joining Zhejiang Lab as a postdoctoral researcher, expressed her enthusiasm for this discovery, highlighting the necessity of accumulating high-resolution data spanning two decades for this achievement.
Dr. Kazuhiro Hada from NAOJ emphasized the significance of this finding, noting that the question of whether this particular black hole is spinning had been a central concern for scientists following the success of the black hole imaging in M87. Now, certainty replaces anticipation as it is conclusively established that this supermassive black hole is indeed in a state of rotation.
This groundbreaking revelation stands as a testament to international collaboration, with researchers from 45 institutions worldwide working in unison to unravel the mysteries of black holes and their jet systems. It represents a significant step forward in our comprehension of these cosmic phenomena.
For more detailed information on this monumental discovery, please refer to the research article titled “Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87,” published in Nature on September 27, 2023 (DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06479-6).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Black Hole Spin Discovery
Q: What is the significance of the wobble in the M87 galaxy’s supermassive black hole’s jet?
A: The wobble observed in the jet of M87’s supermassive black hole provides direct evidence of the black hole’s spin. This discovery is significant because it confirms a property of supermassive black holes that has been challenging to observe directly. It adds to our understanding of these enigmatic cosmic entities and contributes to the ongoing efforts to unravel their mysteries.
Q: How was the spin of the M87 black hole confirmed?
A: The confirmation of the M87 black hole’s spin was achieved by analyzing over two decades of observational data collected from a network of more than 20 radio telescopes worldwide. Gravitational interactions between the black hole’s accretion disk and its spin axis cause the jet at its base to wobble, similar to how Earth precesses due to gravitational forces within our solar system. This wobble, observed over an 11-year period, provided concrete evidence of the black hole’s rotation.
Q: What is the importance of the M87 galaxy’s supermassive black hole?
A: The M87 supermassive black hole gained notoriety for being the subject of the first image capturing a black hole’s shadow, achieved by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) in 2019. This black hole, located 55 million light-years away, is a colossal entity, 6.5 billion times more massive than our Sun. It serves as a unique target for scientific study, offering insights into the behavior and properties of supermassive black holes.
Q: Who conducted the research confirming the black hole’s spin?
A: An international team of researchers from 45 institutions around the world collaborated on this research. The team utilized data from a variety of radio telescopes, including the East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN), the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), the joint array of KVN and VERA (KaVA), and the East Asia to Italy Nearly Global (EATING) VLBI network.
Q: What are the implications of this discovery for astrophysics?
A: This discovery has profound implications for astrophysics as it contributes to our understanding of supermassive black holes, their behavior, and their interaction with surrounding matter. It also highlights the power of international collaboration in conducting groundbreaking research in the field of astronomy and astrophysics.
More about Black Hole Spin Discovery
- Nature: “Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87”
- Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)
- East Asian VLBI Network (EAVN)
- Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA)
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ)
- East Asia to Italy Nearly Global (EATING) VLBI network
5 comments
Supermassive black holes are super cool. Excited to see what’s next in black hole studies!
Wow, this is amazing, black hole spin confirmed! So cool!
20 telescopes worldwide, dat’s a lotta scopes! Grav interactions makin’ it wobble, like Earth kinda.
International team ftw! Collaboratin’ on cosmic stuff, way to go!
I’m mind-blown! Black holes are so mysterious, but we’re getting closer to understanding them.