Calm Pockets Protect Organic Molecules from Turbulent Supermassive Black Holes

It turns out that black holes may not always be turbulent. Using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), researchers have discovered regions where certain organic molecules endure the intense radiation near the supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy NGC 1068, also known as M77.

The complex carbon-based molecules that were spotted are thought to be easily obliterated by the strong X-rays and ultraviolet (UV) photons that permeate the environment surrounding supermassive black holes. Yet in this case they were; apparently, pockets of calm can exist in the tumultuous region, probably due to the dense areas of dust and gas that shield the molecules.

Astronomers have long studied the molecular signatures around supermassive black holes: both nearby starburst region and surrounding rings of dust and gas known as circumnuclear disks (CND) that "feed" an active black hole. These regions are important for understanding the evolution of galaxies. However, weak radio emission from the molecules often makes observations difficult.

In this case, the researchers observed the spiral galaxy, also called M77, which is located about 47 million light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Cetus. This galaxy has an actively feeding central black hole, which indicates that it has a substantial circumnuclear disk. This disk, in turn, is surrounded by a 3,500 light-year wide starburst ring.

As the supermassive black hole devours the surrounding material, the disk is heated to such extreme temperatures that it emits intense X-rays and UV photons. When complex organic molecules are exposed to these photons, they're destroyed. Yet in this case, the astronomers found an abundance of these molecules. It's though that the large amount of gas in the CND is protecting the molecules and that these "pockets of calm" are to blame for the molecules' survival.

The findings reveal a bit more about the structure of black holes and their surrounding regions. This, in turn, may pave the way for future research and studies.

The findings are published in the journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan.

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