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JWST and ALMA reveal a dusty, rapidly growing black hole in the early universe
Confirmed
In Short: The black holes are actively feeding, meaning they are consuming large amounts of matter, which is a rare occurrence in the early universe.
Astronomers have discovered three actively feeding supermassive black holes in a single galaxy more than 12.5 billion light-years from Earth, according to a study published in the journal Science Daily.
The galaxy, called J0148-4214, was observed using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).
Hannah Übler, research group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE) and lead author of the study, said, “This is the first evidence of three active black holes in a single galaxy in the distant Universe. Two of them are located in the galactic center and are separated by only 620 light-years in projection. A third black hole is located in the outer region of the galaxy, at a distance of approximately 5500 light-years from the center.”
The total stellar mass of the galaxy is estimated to be about 1.3 billion suns, and the black holes represent a significant fraction of that mass.
The discovery of these black holes challenges previous understanding of galaxy formation and evolution, as they were found in an “infant” galaxy that should not have been able to support such massive black holes.
The James Webb Space Telescope and other new observatories have been looking back to the dawn of the universe, providing unprecedented views of the early cosmos.
The findings could help scientists better understand the role of black holes in the formation and evolution of galaxies.
The black holes are located in a galaxy that is only 1.1 billion years old, which is considered very young in cosmic terms.
The discovery of these black holes is a significant step forward in understanding the early universe and the role of black holes in galaxy formation.
The research team used a combination of X-ray and radio telescopes to observe the black holes, allowing them to see both the hot plasma surrounding the black holes and the jets emerging from them.
The observations suggest that the black holes are accreting matter at a relatively high rate, while simultaneously launching powerful relativistic jets.
The findings could have implications for understanding the early universe and the formation of the first galaxies.
What this adds
The discovery of these black holes challenges previous theories about the early universe and galaxy formation.
The research team used a combination of telescopes to observe the black holes, providing a comprehensive view of their properties.
The findings could help scientists better understand the role of black holes in the early universe and the formation of the first galaxies.
What's confirmed
- "We find a total stellar mass of about 1.3 billion suns, and the black holes represent a significant fraction of that."
What's still developing
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