Astrophysicists Observe Gamma-Ray Flare from M87's Supermassive Black Hole скачать в хорошем качестве

Astrophysicists Observe Gamma-Ray Flare from M87's Supermassive Black Hole

Unprecedented Energy Levels Shed Light on Particle Acceleration Near Black Holes Published: Astronomy & Astrophysics (2024) Key Discovery _ An international team observed a teraelectronvolt gamma-ray flare from the supermassive black hole in the galaxy M87. _ This flare, with photons billions of times more energetic than visible light, offers new insights into how particles are accelerated near black holes. Highlights of the Observation _ Intensity and Scale:The flare occurred over three days. It extended tens of millions of times beyond the black hole’s event horizon. _ The emitting region measured under 15 billion miles (less than three light-days). _ Energy of Gamma Rays: Measured up to a few tera-electronvolts (TeV), equivalent to the energy of a mosquito in motion but carried by subatomic photons. _ Gamma rays, unlike visible light, originate in the universe’s most energetic environments, such as jets from black holes. How It Works: Particle Acceleration and Jets _ Accretion Disk: Matter spirals toward the black hole, losing gravitational energy and accelerating particles. _ Jets: Intense magnetic fields redirect particles from the black hole’s poles into powerful jets extending thousands of light-years. _ Irregular activity in the jets triggers rapid flares like the one observed. Role of Multi-Wavelength Observatories _ The 2018 campaign combined over two dozen observatories, including: _ Ground-Based Telescopes: VERITAS, H.E.S.S., MAGIC (Cherenkov instruments for gamma-ray detection). _ Space-Based Observatories: Hubble, Chandra, NuSTAR, Swift, and NASA's Fermi-LAT (X-rays and high-energy gamma-rays). _ VERITAS played a major role in detecting the flare, analyzing very-high-energy gamma rays and their variability. _ Spectral Energy Distribution (SED): A Key Tool SED Analysis: Measures energy distribution across wavelengths (like breaking light into a rainbow). _ Helps identify mechanisms driving particle acceleration in M87's jet. _ Findings: Significant changes in the black hole’s event horizon and jet position suggest a close relationship between particles near the black hole and the jet's structure. Why This Matters _ Unraveling Cosmic Ray Origins:The study offers clues about where cosmic rays detected on Earth originate. _ Particle Acceleration Insights:Resolves debates on how and where particles near black holes reach near-light speeds. _ Black Hole Physics:Strengthens understanding of jet formation and extreme environments around supermassive black holes. Researcher’s Perspective _ "These particles are so energetic, they're traveling near the speed of light. Our study presents the most comprehensive spectral data ever collected for this galaxy." — Weidong Jin, UCLA Journal Reference: J. C. Algaba et al. Broadband multi-wavelength properties of M87 during the 2018 EHT campaign including a very high energy flaring episode.Astronomy & Astrophysics (2024). DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361/202450497 #M87BlackHole #GammaRayFlare #CosmicRays #ParticleAcceleration #JetFormation #SupermassiveBlackHole #Astrophysics #HighEnergyPhysics