The Secrets of the Spinning Black Holes in the Milky Way Galaxy
The colossal black hole lurking at the center of the Milky Way galaxy is spinning almost as fast as its maximum rotation rate. This incredible discovery was made possible by a new method developed by astrophysicists to analyze data collected by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT).
The EHT, a global collaboration, recently provided us with the first direct images of the shadows of black holes, including the supermassive black hole M87* in a galaxy 55 million light-years away and Sgr A*, the black hole at the heart of our own galaxy. These images are groundbreaking but challenging to interpret, leading scientists to turn to simulations for a better understanding.
Now, a team led by astronomer Michael Janssen has taken this simulation technique to the next level. Using high-throughput computing, they developed millions of simulated black holes and trained a neural network to extract valuable information from the data. Their findings reveal that Sgr A* is spinning close to its maximum speed, with its rotational axis pointed towards Earth and its glow generated by hot electrons.
One of the most intriguing discoveries is that the magnetic field around Sgr A* does not align with current theoretical predictions. Additionally, M87* was found to be rotating rapidly, albeit in the opposite direction to the material swirling around it, possibly due to a past merger with another black hole.
Janssen emphasized the importance of their AI and machine learning approach as a first step towards a deeper understanding of these phenomena. Future improvements and data from upcoming telescopes like the Africa Millimetre Telescope will further validate our understanding of supermassive black holes and the theory of relativity.
The team’s findings have been detailed in three papers published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, providing valuable insights into the mysteries of black holes in our galaxy.
For more information on the research, you can access the papers here, here, and here.
