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First Strong Evidence of a Mild Wind from the Black Hole at the Center of the Milky Way Discovered
Astronomers have found the first strong evidence of a mild wind around Sagittarius A*. The findings suggest that the black hole at the center of the Milky Way influences its surroundings even during quiet periods...
Astronomers have detected traces of a mild but persistent wind around Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. This discovery indicates that the black hole shapes its environment not only during active phases but also in quieter times.
Supermassive black holes reside at the centers of large galaxies, including the Milky Way. These massive objects feed by swallowing gas and dust that come close, but the matter does not fall directly inside. Instead, it spirals around the black hole, accelerating inward while releasing a large amount of energy, some of which is expelled back into space.
New methods unveil the curtain
Researchers note that directly observing movements around Sagittarius A* is very challenging due to the region being filled with gas, stars, and various debris. Lena Murchikova and her colleague Mark Gorski, authors of the study, believed that new data processing techniques could overcome this obstacle.
The team analyzed about 100 hours of observational data collected between 2017 and 2021 by the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array in Chile. By filtering radio wavelength light, they obtained the clearest image yet of the cold molecular gas surrounding Sagittarius A*.
A three-light-year-long cavity
The images revealed a cone-shaped cavity about three light-years long with an opening angle of approximately 45 degrees within the gas around the black hole. According to the researchers, such a cavity can only be explained by a hot wind emanating from the black hole.
The findings were also supported by data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. X-ray observations showed bright emissions from extremely hot gas in the same conical region, matching the location of the cavity in the molecular gas.
Flow lasting at least 20,000 years
The research team estimates that this wind has been ongoing for at least 20,000 years. However, compared to the powerful winds generated by active supermassive black holes in other galaxies, this flow is relatively weak.
The results also reaffirm that Sagittarius A* is currently in a quiet phase. Astrophysicists believe that supermassive black holes spend most of their lives in such silent periods.
Potential impact on star formation
Scientists think that black hole winds play a significant role in the evolution of galaxies. These winds can sometimes prevent gas clouds from collapsing, slowing down the formation of new stars, or alternatively compress gas to create favorable conditions for star birth.
The researchers emphasize the need for more detailed studies to understand how this mild wind from Sagittarius A* affects star formation in the center of the Milky Way.
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