Astrophysicists Capture Gamma-Ray Flare Visuals from M87’s Supermassive Black Hole
In 2019, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) unveiled the first image of a black hole, showcasing the supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy M87. Now, this cosmic giant is surprising scientists with an intense teraelectronvolt gamma-ray flare, the strongest observed in over a decade. Emitting photons billions of times more energetic than visible light, the flare provides critical insights into particle acceleration in extreme black hole environments.
M87’s jet spans an incredible scale, vastly larger than its event horizon. The recent flare, lasting about three days, produced high-energy emissions far exceeding typical observations and likely originated from a compact region under three light-days wide—about 15 billion miles.
Gamma rays, the highest-energy form of electromagnetic radiation, are produced in extreme environments like those near black holes. The photons in M87’s flare reached up to a few teraelectronvolts—much more energetic than visible light.
As matter spirals into a black hole, particles accelerate in an accretion disk and are expelled in powerful jets. This process can trigger flares. Gamma rays are detected indirectly by observing the secondary radiation created when they interact with Earth’s atmosphere.
“We still don’t fully understand how particles near the black hole or in the jet achieve such energy,” said Weidong Jin, a UCLA postdoctoral researcher. “Our study provides the most detailed spectral data for this galaxy and models to explain these processes.”
Jin’s Key Role in VERITAS Gamma-Ray Analysis and Flare Detection
Jin played a key role in analyzing very-high-energy gamma rays from VERITAS, with UCLA contributing to its development. The analysis detected significant luminosity changes, identifying the flare.
The study involved over 25 observatories, including NASA’s Fermi-LAT, Hubble, and VERITAS. These instruments supported the 2018 EHT and multi-wavelength campaign.
Focusing on the spectral energy distribution, the team explored particle acceleration in the black hole’s jets. They also observed changes in the event horizon and jet, suggesting a connection between particles and the black hole. Jin highlighted the bipolar jet’s vast reach, offering new insights into cosmic ray origins.
Read Original Article: Science Daily
Read More: Scitke
