This galaxy cluster challenges our understanding of early universe formations
This galaxy cluster should be much, much colder than it is
Lingxiao Yuan
A recent discovery of a young galaxy cluster in the early universe, named SPT2349-56, has left scientists puzzled as it challenges the current understanding of how these massive structures form and evolve. The gas within this cluster appears to be significantly hotter and more abundant than expected, raising questions about its origins.
Dazhi Zhou, from the University of British Columbia in Canada, and his research team utilized the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile to study the cluster. Their observations revealed that the intracluster gas at the core of SPT2349-56 reaches temperatures of several tens of millions of degrees.
Zhou explains, “The temperature of the surface of the sun is a few thousand degrees Celsius, so this entire area is hotter than the sun. From our conservative calculation, it is 5 to 10 times hotter than expected based on simulations – a surprising finding considering this level of heat was predicted to exist billions of years later.”
SPT2349-56, existing around 1.4 billion years after the big bang, should theoretically have cooler and less abundant gas due to its early stage of development. However, this particular cluster appears more mature than anticipated, standing out as an anomaly in its environment.
The unusual heat within the cluster could be attributed to the presence of several highly active galaxies, including at least three emitting powerful energy jets. These jets, alongside frequent bursts of star formation, might be accelerating the heating of the gas at a faster pace than previously thought.
Zhou emphasizes, “This discovery unveils a phase of cluster evolution that has not been observed before. Our team plans to conduct further observations to identify similar hot, young clusters like SPT2349-56 in order to unravel the extent of its uniqueness.”
Topics:
