ALMA Observations Show Unique Chemical Composition Surrounding Supermassive Black Hole

Researchers-Discover-a-Unique-Chemical-Composition-Surrounding-Supermassive-Black-Hole

Figure 1. Spiral galaxy NGC 1097 observed with European Southern Observatory’s Very large Telescope in optical wavelength (left) and the central 2100 light-years observed with ALMA (right). The ALMA observations reveal intense emission from dust around the central black hole and in the circum-nuclear star burst ring. The star sign shows the location of the emission peak in near infrared, which reflects the star formation activity, whereas the central plus sign shows the location of the radio emission in the wavelength of 6 cm which comes from the active supermassive black hole. The emission peak position in the ALMA image agrees well with that of 6 cm emission. This ensures that ALMA detects the emission from the vicinity of the central black hole. Credit: ESO, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), T. Izumi

Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, a team of scientists captured a detailed image of high-density molecular gas around an active supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 1097.

An international research team led by Takuma Izumi, a second-year master’s student of science at the University of Tokyo, and Kotaro Kohno, a professor at the University of Tokyo, successfully captured a detailed image of high-density molecular gas around an active supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy called NGC 1097 at the highest sensitivity ever achieved. The observation result shows that there is a unique chemical composition characterized by enhancement of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) around the black hole, which would be caused by high temperature heating of the environment surrounding the black hole. It is expected that this new method focusing on the difference of emission frequencies from molecules uniquely found around black holes may open the way for “the search for a hidden black hole” which is overcast with dust particles and optically invisible.

Research Background

With recent advancements in observational research, it has been revealed that many of galaxies contain a supermassive black hole (*1) at their centers. However, the formation process of such massive black holes is yet to be discovered by modern astronomy. A study result shows that the mass of a supermassive black hole is approximately proportional to that of the central part of the galaxy (galactic bulge). This means that the higher-mass galaxy has a higher-mass black hole. A galactic bulge is thought to evolve through numerous mergers and collisions with other galaxies which would bring a large amount of interstellar materials (*2) into a galactic center and further the evolution of a black hole. To investigate this “coevolution” of a galaxy and a black hole, it is necessary to study the mass of black holes in all ages as well as the kinematics of surrounding interstellar molecules that flow into the black hole. However, the first thing we need to do is to confirm the existence of a black hole at the galactic center by observation.

A number of similar black hole exploration methods have also been proposed in optical/infrared spectra so far, but one crucial problem is that emissions at these wavelengths are absorbed by interstellar dust particles although the more active black holes contain more dust particles. This means conventional exploration methods have difficulty in finding a black hole during the most active stage of its evolution process.

The goal of the research group is to establish a new exploration method using as reference various molecular/atomic emission lines which can be observed at millimeter/submillimeter wavelengths (*3). Millimeter/submillimeter waves are the most basic and most important wavelengths in observing interstellar molecules or more specifically cold high-density gas, and thus suitable for the observation of the galactic center due to its very unique characteristic of being not susceptible to dust absorption. With the advancement of the study of interstellar chemical model in recent years, it is assumed that each of galactic phenomena (e.g. supermassive black hole, bursts of star formation, etc.) would have different impact on interstellar materials. The idea of the new method is to take these differences observed in interstellar materials as useful reference to identify the relevant galactic phenomenon.

Research Method—High sensitivity, high spatial resolution observation with ALMA

For the development and verification of a new method, it would be better to select a nearby galaxy which can be spatially resolved and examined in detail compared to a distant galaxy whose properties are largely unknown. Therefore, the research group targeted molecular line emissions from hydrogen cyanide (HCN), formyl ion (HCO+), and hydrogen sulfide (CS) at millimeter/submillimeter wavelengths (*4) in the galaxy called NGC 1097 (about 50 million light-years away) with the ALMA Telescope in the Atacama Desert in Chile. The observed molecular emission lines are suitable for the observation of high-density regions like a galactic center, and NGC 1097 is a galaxy that already proved to have an active supermassive black hole at its center by a preceding study.

Research Results

In spite of a relatively short observation for about 2 hours in total, low-noise, high-quality data was obtained at a high resolution of 1.5 arcsec. Figure 1 and Figure 2 shows the observed galactic center with a radius of 2100 light-years and the spectra obtained at the galactic center respectively.

A Step Toward the Development of New Black Hole Exploration Methods

Figure 2. Submillimeter spectra at the emission peak observed with ALMA. Emissions from hydrogen cyanide (HCN), formyl ion (HCO+), and carbon monoxide (CO) are clearly detected, although the emission from hydrogen sulfide (CS) was not detected. Credit: T. Izumi

With spectral data taken in a wide frequency range, we can obtain intensity ratio of various molecular line emissions. This spectral data indicates the intensity of HCN is significantly higher than those of HCO+ and CS. The similar phenomenon has been reported by observational research of the surrounding environment of supermassive black holes at lower frequencies (millimeter wavelengths). Compared to the millimeter wavelength emission line, submillimeter is thought to be more suited to the observation of high-temperature, high-density regions, i.e. the environment around black holes. Thus, the results of this observation, similar to those of preceding research, confirm the validity of this research method.

Figure 3 shows the intensity ratio of molecules observed in other galaxies. Although the data is limited only to a small number of target objects, Figure 3 shows the ratio of HCN/HCO+ and HCN/CS increases in galaxies that have a supermassive black hole in a more active state. This data can be used to identify what kind of phenomenon is taking place at the galactic center.

Researchers Capture a Detailed Image of High Density Molecular Gas around an Active Supermassive Black Hole

Figure 3. Energy source diagram based on the molecular line emission ratio. Red points show the active galaxies powered by supermassive black holes, blue points show the starburst galaxies, and the green point represents a luminous infrared galaxy. Galaxies with active black holes are located in the upper right in this diagram. Credit: T. Izumi

The new identification method is based on molecular line emission at submillimeter wavelengths. Although the emission frequency of the more distant objects becomes lower due to the expansion of the universe, the ALMA Telescope is designed to receive millimeter waves in a frequency range lower than submillimeter waves observed this time, which means this identification method can be applied to objects even 10 billion light-years away and will be a competent observation method in the ALMA Era when there will be a dramatic advancement in the research of distant galaxies.

Furthermore, we examined physiochemical properties of the observed molecular lines such as temperature, density, and chemical composition of the emission regions by detailed analyses. The analysis result shows these molecular lines are emitted from high-temperature (several hundred degrees), high-density (about ten thousand to one million hydrogen molecules per cubic centimeter) regions where HCN molecules are actively generated. This result is thought to reflect the effect of a supermassive black hole, since it would be impossible to maintain such high-temperature state over the region of several hundred light-years in general star forming activities. The observation data of NGC 1097 strongly indicates possible impact of shock wave heating by the jet which is ejected from the black hole. Similar model of HCN molecule generation in large amounts under high-temperature environment has also been assumed by recent study of interstellar chemistry. This research demonstrated that direct comparison of theory and observation is becoming possible by the ALMA Telescope with revolutionary resolution and sensitivity.

Artist Impression of the Central Part of NGC 1097

Figure 4. Artist’s impression of the central part of NGC 1097. A powerful bipolar jet is emanated from the supermassive black hole. Surrounding molecular gas is heated by shock wave induced by the jet and large amounts of HCN molecules are generated in the warm gas. Credit: The University of Tokyo

Future Prospective

This research revealed that the center of NGC 1097 contains highly-heated gas which would be related to the existence of a supermassive black hole, and the high-temperature gas induces the generation of HCN molecules. Focusing on this result, the research group developed a new exploration method of black holes by observations of molecular lines at submillimeter wavelengths. In the future, the research group will conduct verifications of this method by increasing the number of target objects and further detailed observations of high-density-gas with ALMA, aiming to explore the mysterious evolution process of black holes lying deep within the molecular clouds that cannot be reached by optical/infrared observations.

Notes

(*1) A supermassive black hole has several million to several billion solar masses.

(*2) Outer space is not a perfect vacuum. It is filled with gas and dust collectively called interstellar materials, which serve as “fuel” for black holes and star-forming activities as important components of the universe.

(*3) Millimeter and submillimeter waves are electromagnetic waves whose wavelengths are several mm and 0.1 to 1 mm respectively.

(*4) Molecular rotation is described as discrete energy levels by quantum mechanics. When a molecule transits from a certain rotation state to another, it emits or absorbs electromagnetic waves that have energy equivalent to the difference of energy between the two states. Since the rotational transition is observed mostly in the electromagnetic spectrum at a different frequency corresponding to each molecule, it enables to identify what molecules exist from the frequencies of the observed spectra.

Reference: “Submillimeter ALMA Observations of the Dense Gas in the Low-Luminosity Type-1 Active Nucleus of NGC1097” by Takuma Izumi, Kotaro Kohno, Sergio Martín, Daniel Espada, Nanase Harada, Satoki Matsushita, Pei-Ying Hsieh, Jean L. Turner, David S. Meier, Eva Schinnerer, Masatoshi Imanishi, Yoichi Tamura, Max T. Curran, Akihiro Doi, Kambiz Fathi, Melanie Krips, Andreas A. Lundgren, Naomasa Nakai, Taku Nakajima, Michael W. Regan, Kartik Sheth, Shuro Takano, Akio Taniguchi, Yuichi Terashima, Tomoka Tosaki and Tommy Wiklind, 25 October 2013, Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan.
DOI: 10.1093/pasj/65.5.100
arXiv:1306.0507

2 Comments on "ALMA Observations Show Unique Chemical Composition Surrounding Supermassive Black Hole"

  1. Herman (Dusty) Rhodes | November 10, 2020 at 4:54 pm | Reply

    In my understanding of this article, it shows that the primary source for the chemical elements were QUASARS. This would also explain both matter and antimatter in equal amounts being spewed from the jets of the same parent quasar at the exact same time. We don’t have any idea how many quasars were in the universe in this time frame, but my guess is “Without number”, … wall to wall. … Science does know that the quasars are aligned in a certain alignment which could create two universes, one of matter, and the other antimatter. The reason for the antimatter is, a quasar spins in two opposite directions at the same time. I think that it’s against the rules to post websites here, but if you type in The Seed of the Universe”, it will take you to a detailed description of this assumption.

  2. dr mohammad alekesir sahebzaman | January 15, 2024 at 9:57 am | Reply

    Hello, I didn’t want to explain about galaxies.42 years ago, I was studying all kinds of galaxies, black holes, quasars, etc. Now, when scientists publish interesting and large images of young and old galaxies on this website, I am amazed.I think deeply and sinisterly, at that time it was 1982 and I was a 17-year-old boy and I loved learning astronomy and I got to know the light spectrum and wavelength of stars and galaxies, which determines the age and temperature of stars.Now that the secrets of the earth have been revealed to me by God and the lords of the world, and I have learned about the history and fate of the earth, I no longer think about the galaxies.I should, just as humans are busy with life, work and effort, and many people are easily educated, they live their social life when I I tell those who are our neighbors in the city that the planet Jupiter has 102 moons, and all of thesemoons were originally planets with two large arms of the galaxy, which orbited next to the stars of the large arms of the galaxy, and I say that it took 20 billion years to reach it.The planets were placed around gaseous planets such as Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter, and joined the moons of these gaseous planets.Those who were my contacts, this information is of no importance to them, and my relatives say, well, the scientists have all this information that you have, I am discouraged.I can’t.I will answer them.I have searched a lot on the scientific sites that I am searching.No scientist has ever given such a theory.Of course, I have not come across such information on astronomical sites.I mean by this discussion that you students, researchers and astronomers should come to Think about the earth and the objects of the solar system and focus your thoughts on the environment around us on the earth and our solar system.And the map of the countries, their names are related to their shape, to the jinns, gods, and the lords of the earth, and the story of the humans who created these images on the earth a few tens of millions of years ago,I mean the shapes of the land and seas and the streams that are in the shape of the earth creatures that live in the same environment.They lived and were drawn.I know for a fact that the Earth was attacked by meteorites because of the planets that I mentioned, and from the many impacts of meteorites on the surface of the planets and 240 moons of the solar system, it can be understood that when hundreds to thousandsof stars and planets
    Most of those star systems that came to the Sun with their planets collided with the surface of the gas planets, and only a few percent of those planets reached the Sun, that is, from outside the solar system, from the large arms.The galaxy of that star and the mentioned planets were able to escape from the orbit of the planets Pluto, Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter, came towards the sun and collided with the planets Venus and Mercury and caused the reversal of Venus and Mercury.It takes 58 days to complete one day and night.But it takes 243 days for Venus to complete one day and night, why Venus rotates so slowly and reverses because whenever two spherical bodies or gears collide, when they rotate in the same direction, both with collide, and their rotation is reversed.When the number of collisions occurs more than once, but because the star rotates opposite to the planet, when very small stars that coincide with the stars of the arm of the planet collide with the planets Neptune, Uranus, Saturn and Jupiter.The collision of the galaxy with these gas planets makes the day and night movement of the planet Jupiter less than 24 hours.Why does Jupiter, which is 25 times the size of the Earth, rotate at a speed of 45,000 km per hour?I said before that I know that the stars in the arm of the galaxy that have collided with gas planets have hundreds of times less gas volume than the Sun and hundreds of thousands of times less mass.Due to the presence of sulphur, gunpowder, dynamite and other explosive materials after colliding with the sun of the solar system and disintegrating for several years on the earth and oceans, stones, soil and elements have accumulated up to two thousand meters inside the said planet.The soil on the surface of the earth and the fish whales and other waters were damaged by very high waves for several years, the fish bodies were spread on the beaches and buried under 20,000 meters of soil, and after tens of millions of years, itturned into oil.It is what God and the lord of the earth mentioned to me in the surahs that inspired me.I will explain this when I come to America.We reach the structure of cities and cars
    that people will be amazed that those devices were made by humans who were hidden in the earth about a hundred million years ago.I have explained the structure of the lords in the following address, but regarding the surahs that inspired me, I cannot translate them into English because the composition, dictation, and spelling of those texts, which are in the form of poetry, vary and donot do justice to the content.This is because we have to take a secret word from the end of the verses to understand that God and the lords of the earth have pointed out that the earth in its dryness is a symbol of man, and that bird is flying on the map ofthe American continent, and that old man of the Indian tribe whose face is on the entire continent.South America is obvious, I can only justify this issue because I know the relationship between the names of the continents and countries with the shape of those continents, but people like me who were not in contact with the occult world do not even think about thesesecrets.and secrets, refer to the following address: dr mohmmad mehr kesiri sahebzaman scitechdaily Or http://WWW.mofidifar.com number 1 and 6 and 8 and 30 and 318 praise of Khudamat Reza Shah, pay attention to the above I have given a complete explanation about beingthe owner of my time and You all humans in a way choose them by themselves, of course the lords of the earth choose those who are smart and talented, the smart people plan more on them.They reveal the truth to them in their minds after a few days with inspiration.The science itself has progressed with the evolution of man, but because all and most people do not know about the issues of the unseen world, such as life after death, where the soul comes from the bottom of the earth.After 40 days, his relatives will come on the soil of that body and the genie, which is the same spirit, will come from the sweet genie.I have translated it for you.This problem is due to the language at the time of translation.If there are people in America who are fluent in Farsi, introduce me to them so that I can send messages to the same Farsi line as mine, using my mobile phone number and my phone because my email is Because of a political issue, it isnot active at the moment.It is not open.I mean, I can provide the email in my comments, but you can send me a message.Your message may not be sent to me.Why has no one from America sent an SMS to my line number?It’s strange???!!!Iran time 9:27 pm gods by gods hvie you in earth

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