The supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*, has been observed exhibiting a rare mid-infrared flare, providing new insights into its behavior. The flare was detected on April 6, 2024, using the James Webb Space Telescope’s (JWST) mid-infrared instrument and was followed by a radio counterpart. This is the first time scientists have captured such an event in mid-infrared wavelengths.
Astronomers have long been fascinated by Sagittarius A*’s quiescent state, but recent observations suggest that it may be more active than previously thought. The flare observed this week fills a significant gap in our understanding of the black hole’s behavior and provides new evidence for the theory behind its activity.
Supermassive black holes are crucial components of galaxy formation and evolution. They can exhibit a range of activity levels, from calm to violently ramorous, and play a key role in shaping their surroundings through gravitational influence.
The observation of Sagittarius A*’s mid-infrared flare is significant because it fills a missing piece of the puzzle regarding its behavior. The event was consistent with existing models and simulations, suggesting that synchrotron radiation from cooling electrons may be responsible for the flare.
While the findings provide valuable insights into the black hole’s activity, there is still much to be discovered. Further research is needed to understand magnetic reconnection and turbulence in Sagittarius A*’s accretion disk.
This discovery was presented at the 245th meeting of the American Astronomical Society and has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/supermassive-black-hole-caught-doing-something-never-seen-before