Supermassive Black Hole's Extreme Winds Shape Its Galaxy

Astronomers are learning a big more about black holes and their fierce winds. By looking at the spend of ambient gas spewing out from a well-known quasar, researchers are learning how host galaxies and their black holes might have evolved at the same time.

In order to get a closer look at the quasar, the researchers used the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR). This allowed them to examine an extremely luminous black hole, called quasar PDS 456, to detect a nearly spherical stream of highly ionized gas.

"We know that the black holes in the centers of galaxies can feed on matter, and this process and produce winds," said Fiona Harrison, co-author of the new study, in a news release. "This is thought to regulate the growth of galaxies. Knowing the speed, shape and size of the winds, we can figure out how powerful they are."

In this case, the researchers examined the spherical outflow. This revealed a mechanism that explains the correlation between black hole and galaxy formation.

Supermassive black holes blast matter into their host galaxies, including X-ray-emitting winds traveling at up to one-third the speed of light. In this latest study, the scientists found that PDS 456 has winds that carry more energy every second than what is emitted by more than one trillion suns. That's enough of a punch to affect the entire galaxy and its ability to make stars: galaxy formation.

The new research reveals that a supermassive black hole and the galaxy that it nurtures are connected by high-speed winds. As the black holes bulk up in size, their winds push vast amounts of matter outward through the galaxy. This, in turn, stops new stars from eventually forming.

The findings are published in the journal Science.

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