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yesterday

Infinity Galaxy Reveals Possible In-Situ Birth of a Supermassive Black Hole

Initial JWST, Keck, VLA and Chandra observations support the heavy-seed direct collapse pathway with researchers refining their analysis for definitive proof.

Image
The ∞ galaxy is interpreted as the aftermath of a nearly head-on collision between two face-on disk galaxies with massive, compact bulges. The bulges survived the collision, and the inner disk stars were swept up in outwardly expanding collisional rings around the bulges. The nearby galaxy II Hz 4 is the prototype for this kind of binary ring formation (R. Lynds & A. Toomre 1976). Compression and shocks in the colliding gas likely produced a dense gaseous remnant in between the nuclei, as has been observed in the bullet cluster on much larger scales. It is proposed that the black hole formed within this gas. (Credit: van Dokkum et al / The Astrophysical Journal Letters)

Overview

  • The study has been accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, marking a key step toward validating heavy-seed black hole formation.
  • A million-solar-mass black hole is embedded in a dense gas cloud between two merged spiral disks that together resemble the infinity symbol.
  • Preliminary JWST velocity mapping shows the black hole’s motion aligns with surrounding ionized gas, consistent with an in-situ direct collapse origin.
  • Follow-up Keck spectroscopy, VLA radio contours and Chandra X-ray data confirm the off-nucleus location and young age of the nascent black hole.
  • Researchers are analyzing additional JWST and ancillary data to eliminate competing light-seed scenarios and seek definitive confirmation.