This is a polarized light image in the vicinity of the supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy M87. The collaboration of the Event Horizon Telescope, a global radio network, observed her. The lines indicate the orientation of the polarized light, which is directly related to the magnetic field lines of the black hole. So, for the first time, we have an image showing the “signature” of magnetic fields around a black hole. Image via EHT / ESO.
In 2019, astronomers released the first direct image of a black hole, a feat that caused headlines and minds to fade around the world. The black hole was supermassive, millions of times the mass of our sun, in the heart of a relatively nearby galaxy known as M87. On March 24, 2021, the Event Horizon Telescope, the same global collaboration that captured the black hole of M87, released a new image showing the polarized light of this black hole. The polarization of light gives astronomers a signature (a representation) of the magnetic field of a black hole, for the first time.
Astronomers published their results in two articles (here and here) in the peer review Letters from astrophysical journals on March 24, 2021, with a third party accepted for publication soon (here).
The black hole of M87 sends huge jets (matter ejected at almost the speed of light) from its core. These observations are a key to understanding how this happens, these astronomers said. Astronomer Monika Moscibrodzka of Radboud University in the Netherlands said in a statement:
We are now looking at the next crucial test to understand how magnetic fields behave around black holes and how activity in this very compact region of space can cause powerful jets that extend far beyond the galaxy.
Another astronomer involved in the project, Andrew Chael, at the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, explained:
Newly published polarized images are key to understanding how the magnetic field allows the black hole to “eat” matter and launch powerful jets.
When measuring light emanating from an astronomical source, it is sometimes polarized, in the same way that light passing through a pair of polarized sunglasses. Instead of lenses, however, it is the magnetic fields of the warm regions of space that polarize astronomical light. Thus, the use of telescopes to measure the polarization of light will provide you with direct information about the magnetic fields that caused it.
Another team member in this black hole study – Jason Dexter of the University of Colorado, Boulder – explained:
Observations suggest that the magnetic fields at the edge of the black hole are strong enough to push the hot gas and help it withstand the pull of gravity. Only gas sliding through the field can spiral inward to the event horizon.
M87 is a huge elliptical galaxy located 55 million light years from us. Its central supermassive black hole is one of the most massive known and, like a cosmic reflector, a jet of subatomic particles emerges that travel almost at the speed of light, up to about 6,000 light-years. Image via the NASA / ESA / Hubble Heritage team.
M87 is a huge elliptical galaxy, consisting mainly of older stars and lacking the known spiral pattern of disk galaxies, which is relatively close, 55 million light-years from us, to the galaxy cluster. the Virgin It has about twice the mass of our own Milky Way galaxy and contains about ten times as many stars. Another peculiar thing about this galaxy is that it has an unusual number of globular clusters of stars, around 12,000, which can be compared to the humblest amount of 200 in the Milky Way.
M87’s supermassive black hole is, in direct relation to the size of its host galaxy, one of the most massive we know.
A diagram of M87 and its jet, coming out of the central black hole. Top: An image with visible light (optics) shows the ray that extends thousands of light-years from the center. The following 3 images show the inner parts of the beam and the central region of the black hole in polarized light, thus indicating how the magnetic fields behave in these regions. Each image is getting closer and closer to the supermassive black hole. The horizontal line is an indicator of the scale of each image, given in light years. Read more about this image in ESO.
Summary: Astronomers released a new image of the supermassive black hole in the center of the nearby galaxy M87, this time showing the signatures of the magnetic fields.
Source: first results of the Horizon Event M87 Telescope. VII. Ring polarization
Source: first results of the Horizon Event M87 Telescope. VIII. Structure of the magnetic field near the event horizon
Source: Polarimetric properties of ALMA Horizon Event telescope objectives
Via ESO
