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There is no consensus yet on how supermassive black holes form, but a fascinating new simulation tackles this question like never before.
Scientists are hoping that new simulations, like the one recently created by researchers at Northwestern University, can reveal the origins of these gargantuan bodies. Among these objects, some are of particular interest to scientists, such as the supermassive black hole at the center of our Milky Way and the one captured in the first iconic photograph of a black hole made by the Event Horizon Telescope and published in 2019.
“The reason why supermassive black holes are so difficult to explain is that their formation requires piling up a huge amount of matter in a tiny space,” said Claude-André Faucher-Giguère, lead author of the new article and a physicist at Northwestern University. in a declaration. “How does the universe manage to do this?” Until now, theorists have developed explanations by galaxies cram into the innermost millionth the size of a galaxy. “
Related: Supermassive black holes can be surprisingly tricky eaters, astronomers say
Supermassive black holes can be millions or billions of times more massive than the sun, and they depend on a constant flow of gas to stay awake. To understand how these huge structures evolve, scientists need to understand the different ways gas travels through the universe to fuel them.
The new simulation models the key physical processes that affect gas flow. The expansion of the universe, the dramatic gravity, the stellar wind of massive stars, supernova explosions and large-scale galactic environments are some of the elements included in the new work to create an accurate picture.
Researchers’ work has already led to new ideas on how carbonated meals reach these supermassive mouths.
“Our simulations show that structures in galaxies, such as spiral arms, use gravitational forces to ‘brake’ gas that would otherwise forever orbit in galaxy centers,” Faucher-Giguère said. allows gas to fall into black holes instead. . “
The research for the simulation is detailed in a paper published August 17 in the Astrophysical Journal.
Follow Doris Elin Urrutia on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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