Overfed Black Holes Shut Down Galactic Star-Making

Chandra_510_1024

chandra_510 May 9th, 2012

Credit: NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech/STScI/R. Hurt (SSC)

A new study has shown that galaxies with the most powerful, active, supermassive black holes at their cores produce fewer stars than galaxies with less active black holes. Researchers compared infrared readings from the Hershel Space Observatory with X-rays streaming from the active central black holes in a survey of 65 galaxies, measured by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.

At lower intensities, the black holes' brightness and star formation increased in sync. However, star formation dropped off in galaxies with the most energetic central black holes. Astronomers think inflows of gas fuel new stars and supermassive black holes. Feed a black hole too much, however, and it starts spewing radiation into the galaxy that prevents raw material from coalescing into new stars.

Supermassive black holes are believed to reside in the hearts of all large galaxies. When gas falls upon these monsters, the materials are accelerated and heated around the black hole, releasing great torrents of energy. In the process, active black holes often generate colossal jets that blast out twin streams of heated matter.

Inflows of gas into a galaxy also fuel the formation of new stars. In a new study of distant galaxies, Herschel helped show that star formation and black hole activity increase together, but only up to a point. Astronomers think that if an active black hole flares up too much, it starts spewing radiation that prevents raw material from coalescing into new stars.

This artistically modified image of the local galaxy Arp 220, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, helps illustrate the Herschel results. The bright core of the galaxy, paired with an overlaid artist's impression of jets emanating from it, indicates that the central black hole's activity is intensifying. As the active black hole continues to rev up, the rate of star formation will, in turn, be tamped down in the galaxy. Astronomers want to further study how star formation and black hole activity are intertwined.

Provider: Chandra X-ray Observatory

Image Source: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2012/hgs/

Curator: Chandra X-ray Observatory, Cambridge, MA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html

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Image Details

Image Type
Artwork
Object Name
Herschel Galaxy Survey
Subject - Distant Universe
Galaxy > Activity > AGN
Nebula > Type > Jet

Distance

Universescale3
250,000,000 light years

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 11h 34m 57.0s
DEC = 24° 30’ 11.9”
Constellation
Leo
Chandra_510_1280
×
ID
510
Subject Category
D.5.3.2   D.4.1.5.  
Subject Name
Herschel Galaxy Survey
Credits
NASA/ESA/JPL-Caltech/STScI/R. Hurt (SSC)
Release Date
2012-05-09
Lightyears
250,000,000
Redshift
250,000,000
Reference Url
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2012/hgs/
Type
Artwork
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
Instrument
Color Assignment
Band
Bandpass
Central Wavelength
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
173.7375, 24.5033
Reference Dimension
Reference Pixel
Scale
Rotation
Coordinate System Projection:
Quality
Position
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Chandra X-ray Observatory
URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu
Name
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Email
cxcpub@cfa.harvard.edu
Telephone
617.496.7941
Address
60 Garden St.
City
Cambridge
State/Province
MA
Postal Code
02138
Country
USA
Rights
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/image_use.html
Publisher
Chandra X-ray Observatory Center
Publisher ID
chandra
Resource ID
hgs.tif
Resource URL
http://chandra.harvard.edu/photo/2012/hgs/hgs.tif
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2013-09-20T10:35:57-04:00
Metadata Version
1.2
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Universescalefull
250,000,000 light years

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