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The Italian 'scale' for weighing black holes

2020-11-26T04:10:44.851Z


Based on a formula that studies the radiation of surrounding gases (ANSA)Development of a 'balance' to measure the mass of gigantic black holes at the center of active galaxies, cosmic cannibals with a mass millions or billions of times that of the Sun. It is based on a formula developed by researchers led by the Italian Elena Dalla Bontà, of the University of Padua and associated with the National Institute of Astrophysics (Inaf). Published in the Astrophysical Journ


Development of a 'balance' to measure the mass of gigantic black holes at the center of active galaxies, cosmic cannibals with a mass millions or billions of times that of the Sun. It is based on a formula developed by researchers led by the Italian Elena Dalla Bontà, of the University of Padua and associated with the National Institute of Astrophysics (Inaf).

Published in the Astrophysical Journal, the formula, the authors of the study observe, allows us to measure the mass of the black hole by studying the radiation emitted by the gas that surrounds it, the so-called emission spectrum.

In particular, astrophysicists measured "the width and brightness of the emission lines produced by the gas heated and ionized by ultraviolet radiation near the black hole," the authors specify.

The estimate of astrophysicists is that the black hole that dwells in the center of an active galaxy, devouring everything that comes within range, including light, thanks to its irresistible gravitational pull, has a mass equal to 0.2 percent of the total. of the stars of the galaxy that hosts it.

The researchers now hope to use this new scale to study the parallel evolution of black holes and galaxies as a function of cosmic time.

Source: ansa

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