Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have spotted a massive black hole that’s been napping after “overindulging” in the early universe. The discovery reveals that some of these cosmic titans were able to briefly exceed the limit placed on accretion, leading to periods of hyper-accelerated growth followed by long dormancy.
The newly found supermassive black hole has a mass around 400 million times that of the sun, making it one of the most massive seen in the early universe. This is extraordinary since typically, these cosmic monsters are found in local galaxies with only a small portion of their host galaxy’s mass.
However, this particular black hole deviates from the norm as its mass equals around 40% of its host galaxy’s mass. Scientists have long wondered how supermassive black holes became so massive so quickly in the early universe. The discovery provides new insights into this enigma.
The team leader, Ignas Juodžbalis, stated that the enormous size of the black hole allowed them to detect it despite being dormant. This highlights the challenges scientists face when trying to observe these cosmic giants during their quiet phases.
To address the mystery, researchers ran simulations and found that early black holes could experience brief periods of “super-Eddington accretion,” resulting in rapid growth followed by long dormancy periods. These bursts would last for 5-10 million years before the black hole returns to its normal state, waiting for the next feeding opportunity.
This theory suggests that the dormant nature of these monsters makes them difficult to discover. However, with further exploration and research, scientists hope to uncover more hidden cosmic titans like this massive napping black hole.
Source: https://www.space.com/monster-black-hole-napping-overfeeding-early-universe