Astronomers have recently captured extraordinary images of a plasma jet emitted by a supermassive black hole in the blazar 3C 279, offering new insights that challenge existing astrophysical theories. This achievement was made possible by combining data from a global network of advanced radio telescopes, revealing spiraling filaments at the jet’s origin, suggesting the influence of magnetic fields in shaping such phenomena. (Representation by an artist.)
An Earth-sized telescope has revealed a cosmic plasma filament in space.
Employing an array of both terrestrial and orbital radio telescopes, astronomers have secured the most detailed observation yet of a plasma jet propelled from a supermassive black hole situated at the core of a distant galaxy.
Originating from a distant blazar named 3C 279, this jet moves nearly at light speed, displaying intricate, helical structures near its point of origin. These observations challenge the four-decade-old standard model used to explain the formation and evolution of such jets.
The Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany, played a pivotal role in synthesizing the data from the participating telescopes, creating a virtual telescope about 100,000 kilometers in diameter.
This groundbreaking research was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.
Illustration 1: Tangled filaments within blazar 3C 279. This high-resolution image of the blazar’s relativistic jet, captured by the RadioAstron program, reveals a complex, helical structure. The image incorporates data from global radio telescopes and those in Earth’s orbit, including the 100-m Radio Telescope Effelsberg. Post-processing was conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy’s correlator center. Credits: NASA/DOE/Fermi LAT Collaboration; VLBA/Jorstad et al.; RadioAstron/Fuentes et al.
Understanding Blazars
Blazars, among the most luminous and powerful electromagnetic sources in the universe, are a subset of active galactic nuclei. These galaxies have a central supermassive black hole that accretes matter from a surrounding disk. Approximately 10% of these active galactic nuclei, identified as quasars, emit relativistic plasma jets. Blazars are a rare category of quasars whose jets are almost directly observable.
A recent study, including contributions from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, has provided unprecedented imagery of the innermost region of a blazar’s jet, specifically 3C 279. This observation revealed unusually regular helical filaments, necessitating a reassessment of theoretical models previously used to explain jet formation in active galaxies.
Antonio Fuentes, a leading researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia in Spain, noted the significant role of RadioAstron, a space mission involving an orbital radio telescope and a network of twenty-three terrestrial radio telescopes. This collaboration enabled the most precise imaging of a blazar’s interior yet, revealing its internal jet structure for the first time.
Theoretical Implications and Innovations
The RadioAstron mission has unveiled new details in the plasma jet of blazar 3C 279, featuring a supermassive black hole at its heart. This jet contains at least two twisted plasma filaments stretching over 570 light-years from the center.
“This is the inaugural observation of such filaments in proximity to a jet’s source, providing insight into the black hole’s influence on plasma shaping. The inner jet was also observed by the GMVA and EHT telescopes at shorter wavelengths, yet they couldn’t detect these filamentary structures due to their faintness and size relative to the resolution,” explained Eduardo Ros, a research team member and European scheduler for the GMVA.
Figure 2: The RadioAstron VLBI observation enabled a virtual telescope up to eight times the diameter of Earth (350,000 km maximum baseline). Credit: Roscosmos
These blazar plasma jets are complex and irregular, marked by twists indicative of the plasma’s interaction with surrounding forces. The study of these helical filaments in 3C279 revealed they are products of instabilities within the jet plasma. This finding undermines the old theory explaining jet evolution, necessitating new models that can elucidate the formation and evolution of such filaments near a jet’s origin.
“One notable aspect from our findings is the inferred presence of a helical magnetic field potentially confining the jet,” stated Guang-Yao Zhao, an MPIfR-affiliated researcher. “It’s possible that this clockwise-rotating magnetic field around the jet in 3C 279 guides the plasma, which travels at 0.997 times the speed of light.”
“Previously, similar helical structures in extragalactic jets were observed on larger scales, believed to result from differential flow speeds causing shear,” added Andrei Lobanov, an MPIfR scientist. “This study ventures into a new domain, connecting these filaments to complex processes near the
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Supermassive Black Hole Jet
What was the significant discovery made by astronomers recently?
Astronomers captured unprecedented images of a plasma jet emitted from a supermassive black hole in the blazar 3C 279, challenging existing astrophysical theories and revealing complex helical structures near the jet’s origin.
How was the observation of the blazar 3C 279’s plasma jet achieved?
The observation was made possible by an international collaboration using a network of advanced radio telescopes on Earth and in space, creating a virtual telescope with a diameter of about 100,000 kilometers.
What challenges do the new findings about the plasma jet in blazar 3C 279 pose?
The intricate helical structures observed near the jet’s source challenge the standard theoretical models that have been used for 40 years to explain the formation and evolution of such jets.
What are blazars, and how are they significant in this study?
Blazars are a subset of active galactic nuclei with a supermassive black hole at their center, known for emitting powerful electromagnetic radiation. They are significant as they help understand relativistic plasma jets, as seen in the case of 3C 279.
What role did the RadioAstron mission play in this discovery?
The RadioAstron mission, involving a space-based radio telescope and a network of terrestrial telescopes, was crucial in obtaining the high-resolution image of the blazar 3C 279’s jet, offering unprecedented angular resolution.
What are the implications of these findings for current theoretical models?
These findings necessitate a revision of the existing theoretical models used to explain jet production in active galaxies, particularly the role of magnetic fields and the formation of helical filaments near the jet’s origin.
How does this study contribute to the understanding of supermassive black holes?
The study provides new insights into the behavior and structure of plasma jets emanating from supermassive black holes, revealing complex dynamics that were previously unobserved and enhancing our understanding of these cosmic phenomena.
More about Supermassive Black Hole Jet
- Nature Astronomy Publication on Blazar 3C 279
- Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy
- RadioAstron Space Mission Overview
- Understanding Blazars in Astronomy
- Latest Discoveries in Astrophysics
- VLBI Technique in Radio Astronomy
4 comments
The role of magnetic fields in shaping these jets – that’s the real game changer here. It’s like every time we look up, the universe throws us a curve ball.
wow, this is mind blowing stuff! it’s amazing how far we’ve come in astronomy, Can’t wait to see what they discover next about these black holes and jets.
i’m not an expert but, arent black holes supposed to suck everything in? how does this jet thing even work, seems really complicated
gotta say, the collaboration part is impressive. it’s not every day you see such international efforts, especially with something as complex as space telescopes. kudos to all those scientists and engineers involved!