Unveiling Black Hole Jets: Event Horizon Telescope Targets Galaxy NGC 1052

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Unveiling Black Hole Jets: Event Horizon Telescope Targets Galaxy NGC 1052

Asked by terryaster at 6:49am on Dec 26 2024

After capturing the first images of black holes, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is set to tackle the mystery of how black holes propel powerful jets into space. A research team led by Anne-Kathrin Baczko from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden has demonstrated the EHT's potential to image a supermassive black hole and its jets in the galaxy NGC 1052. Their findings, which include evidence of strong magnetic fields near the black hole's edge, were published in Astronomy & Astrophysics on December 17, 2024.

The Quest to Understand Black Hole Jets

A key question driving this research is how supermassive black holes generate galaxy-scale jets of high-energy particles moving at nearly the speed of light. Scientists have taken a significant step forward by conducting detailed measurements of the galaxy NGC 1052, located 60 million light-years from Earth.

Using a network of interconnected radio telescopes, the team made intricate observations of the galaxy's core, offering new insights into the mechanisms of supermassive black holes and their jets.

A Challenging Target with High Potential

Anne-Kathrin Baczko, leading the research at Onsala Space Observatory, highlighted the complexity of studying NGC 1052.

"The center of this galaxy is a promising target for imaging with the Event Horizon Telescope, but it’s faint, complex, and more challenging than any other sources we've examined," she explained.

NGC 1052 hosts a supermassive black hole powering two colossal jets that extend thousands of light-years into space. These jets emerge from the east and west sides of the black hole as seen from Earth.

To tackle this challenge, the team conducted observations using five EHT telescopes, including the ALMA array in Chile, and supplemented their data with additional radio telescopes.

"For such a faint and uncertain target, we weren’t sure if we’d obtain usable data," Baczko admitted. "But the strategy worked, thanks to ALMA's sensitivity and complementary support from other telescopes."

Insights into Future Imaging and Magnetic Fields

The study revealed two critical findings that confirm the potential for future imaging of NGC 1052’s black hole:

The black hole’s surroundings emit brightly at specific radio frequencies, making them detectable by the EHT.
The region where the jets originate is similar in size to the ring of M87*, previously imaged by the EHT, ensuring it can be visualized with the telescope's full capabilities.

Additionally, the team estimated the magnetic field strength near the black hole’s event horizon to be about 2.6 tesla—40,000 times stronger than Earth’s magnetic field.

"This intense magnetic field likely prevents material from falling into the black hole, instead aiding the launch of the galaxy’s jets," explained Matthias Kadler, a team member.

Preparing for the Future

Despite the challenges posed by NGC 1052, the results are promising as radio astronomers look forward to advanced telescope networks like the NRAO’s next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) and the next-generation Event Horizon Telescope (ngEHT). These developments will further enhance our ability to explore the enigmatic processes around black holes and their dynamic jets.

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