Supermassive grim holes are only participating when they are eat , and they do n’t get a good meal than when their host galaxies are move through collision . But while we have a general apprehension of supermassive black holes and galaxy uniting , we are still missing some of the contingent .
A new study , write in theMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society , suggests that in the late stages of Galax urceolata merger , so much material is funneled towards the supermassive inglorious holes at the center that they become enshrouded in gun and dust .
This is an intriguing finding . To return into a black jam , the stuff can not move too tight , so this flatulency and detritus needs to slow up down . Researchers have noticed that the merge gravitational gist of the merging galaxies can slow down stuff and push it into a black-market jam at a more modest gait .
" The further along the merger is , the more cover the AGN will be , " run author Claudio Ricci , from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile , said in astatement . " galaxy that are far along in the merging cognitive process are completely covered in a cocoon of gas and dust . "
It is await that a black hole inflame up recently in the merger phase angle . When it begin to accumulate enough stuff , it starts feeding and becomes an fighting astronomic nucleus ( AGN ) , pass off a luck of Adam - rays . But if the AGN is shrouded , only the most powerful X - ray will make it through .
So the researcher usedNASA ’s NuSTAR – which has the ability to see the brightest X - rays – on 52 late - stage mergers and compared this data point to observations by other ten - beam telescopes like Swift , Chandra , and ESA ’s Xmm - Newton , which focus on less powerful X - rays . If they see a signaling with NuSTAR but not with the others , then the galaxy is heavy hide .
They found that every target was shrouded in dust ( although not all at the same level ) and confirmed that it ’s towards the terminal of a galaxy uniting that smutty holes gain more mass .
" A supermassive black hole grows rapidly during these mergers , " Ricci added . " The issue further our understanding of the mysterious origin of the relationship between a black hole and its host galaxy . "
Sometimes it ’s a big galaxy cannibalizing a diminished galaxy and sometimes it ’s two big galaxies smashing together . Regardless , beetleweed collisions are one of the primal mechanisms of wandflower evolution , convert galaxy shapes , starting large episodes of star formation , and keeping fateful holes well fed and active .
