image: This artist's impression of the innermost regions of M87 shows the relationship between the black hole, the orbiting accretion flow, and the launching of the relativistic jet. view more
Credit: Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
A strange thing about black holes: they shine.
The current issue of Science Express features a paper by the Event Horizon telescope team – a collaboration that includes Avery Broderick, Associate Faculty at Perimeter Institute – that may shed light on the origin of the bright jets given off by some black holes. In a world first, the team has been able to look at a distant black hole and find out where its jets are launched from: the "launchpad".
Many galaxies, including our own Milky Way, have a huge black hole lurking at their cores. In about 10 percent of such galaxies, the hole gives off huge, tight streams of electrons and other sub-atomic particles traveling at nearly the speed of light. They can be so bright that they outshine the rest of the galaxy combined.
With the new data coming in, theorists like Perimeter's Avery Broderick can start to tell the difference between these models of hole-driven jets and accretion-driven jets. "We are now beginning to see that spin is playing a role in jet production," says Broderick. "That is, not only can we say that the jets originate near the black hole, but because the emission region is so small, it must be coming from a rotating black hole."
"The black hole is really the engine that drives the jet," he adds. "It's an extraordinary thing."
Read more on Perimeter's website and download a graphic of the black hole "launchpad": http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/News/In_The_Media/World%27s_First_Glimpse_of_Black_Hole_Launchpad/
For more information:
RJ Taylor
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
519-569-7600 ext. 5371
rtaylor@perimeterinstitute.ca
About Perimeter Institute:
Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics is an independent, non-profit, scientific research organization working to advance our understanding of physical laws and develop new ideas about the very essence of space, time, matter, and information. Located in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, Perimeter also provides a wide array of research training and educational outreach activities to nurture scientific talent and share the importance of discovery and innovation among students, teachers, and the general public. In partnership with the Governments of Ontario and Canada, Perimeter is a successful example of public-private collaboration in scientific research, training, and outreach. http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca
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