Using NASA's Chandra X-ray observatory, astronomers have discovered evidence of powerful blasts generated by a giant black hole.
The black hole's epic "burp", which may have been triggered by the interaction of the black hole's host galaxy and a larger spiral companion, could shed light on one of the mysteries of galactic core.
Astronomers have discovered that stars rarely form in the center of a galaxy, where a giant black hole often lies, and they do not know why.
A black hole found at the center of the NGC 5195, appears to hold the answer with evidence of huge X-ray blast that may have swept away star-forming dust from the center of the dwarf galaxy.
Study researcher Eric Schlegel, from The University of Texas in San Antonio, and colleagues used data from Chandra X-ray Observatory to investigate NGC 5195. The telescope was specially designed to detect X-ray emission from hot regions of the universe.
The small galaxy is merging with a larger spiral galaxy NGC 5194, also called "The Whirlpool," with both lying in the Messier 51 galaxy system located about 26 million light-years away from Earth.
Schlegel and colleagues detected two arcs of X-ray emission near the center of NGC 5195. The researchers said that the arcs represent remnants of two large blasts when the black hole belched material outward into the galaxy.
The activity could have had big impact on the galaxy as the "burp" may have swept the dust-forming gas away from its center.
View from the 0.9-meter optical telescope of the Kitt Peak National Observatory also revealed a thin region of cool hydrogen gas emission just outside of the outer X-ray arc. This indicates that the hotter gas that emits X-ray has likely snow-plowed the hydrogen gas from the galaxy's center.
Schlegel said that this behavior would have likely occurred very often in the early universe, which changed the course of galaxies' evolution.
The researchers said that the outburst of the giant black hole could be attributed to the interaction of the two galaxies that caused gas to be funneled in.
The phenomenon provides evidence that black holes do not just "eat" stars and gas as they are more popularly known. They also appear to burp after meal.
Study researcher Marie Machacek, from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said it is likely that the phenomenon known as "feedback" prevents galaxies from becoming too big.
"But at the same time, it can be responsible for how some stars form. This shows that black holes can create, not just destroy," Machacek said.
Results of the study were presented this month at the 227th meeting of the American Astronomical Society Kissimmee, Florida and published in the Nov. 10 issue of the Astrophysical Journal.
