Astronomers have discovered that the most massive black holes in the universe feed on gas from their surroundings by cooling it and forming jets. This process, observed using data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the VLT in Chile, shows how outbursts from black holes trigger a self-sustaining feeding cycle. The study, led by Valeria Olivares and published in Nature Astronomy, examined seven galaxy clusters, revealing that hot gas is cooled into narrow filaments of warm gas visible as glowing threads. Turbulence plays a key role in this cooling process, with some of the warm gas returning to fuel further outbursts. The researchers found a direct link between the brightness of hot and warm gas in cluster centers, confirming how black holes sustain themselves by consuming surrounding material. Two notable galaxy clusters, Perseus and Centaurus, showcase these phenomena: Perseus displays bluish-purple gas with pink filaments, while Centaurus shows softer, diffused gas with delicate filaments resembling jellyfish tentacles. The study also draws parallels between the observed gas patterns and those found in “jellyfish galaxies,” suggesting a shared feeding mechanism across cosmic scales. Collaborating experts from Chile, the US, Australia, Canada, and Italy used advanced tools like VLT’s MUSE instrument to provide 3D views of these phenomena, furthering our understanding of black hole activity in the universe.
Source: https://www.ndtv.com/science/astronomers-discover-how-massive-black-holes-create-their-own-meals-7576147