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3mo ago

Astronomers Capture First Direct Evidence of Quasar Radiation Disrupting Neighboring Galaxy

A new study reveals how quasar UV radiation from a supermassive black hole halted star formation in a merging galaxy 11 billion light-years away.

Image
This image, taken with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), shows the molecular gas content of two galaxies involved in a cosmic collision. The one on the right hosts a quasar –– a supermassive black hole that is accreting material from its surroundings and releasing intense radiation directly into the other galaxy. Astronomers used the X-shooter instrument at ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT) to detect the quasar’s light as it passes through an invisible halo of gas surrounding the galaxy on the left. In doing so, they could observe the damage that this radiation causes to the victim, disrupting its clouds of gas and hampering its ability to form new stars. Credit: ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/S. Balashev and P. Noterdaeme et al.

Overview

  • Researchers observed a 'cosmic joust' where a quasar’s radiation dispersed star-forming gas in a neighboring galaxy during a merger.
  • This marks the first direct observation of quasar feedback on molecular gas, confirming long-held theories about galaxy evolution.
  • The galaxies, located 11 billion light-years away, are merging at speeds of 1.8 million kilometers per hour, with one galaxy’s quasar acting as a destructive force.
  • The quasar’s ultraviolet radiation, powered by a supermassive black hole, disrupts hydrogen clouds, preventing new stars from forming in the companion galaxy.
  • The findings, enabled by four years of observations with the VLT and ALMA, provide critical insights into the role of quasars in shaping the early universe.