Structure of the active galactic core

Structure of the active galactic core

Hubble captured the radiant Arp220 galaxy. Scientists have measured the structure only at a distance of hundreds of light years around two supermassive black holes. They managed to demonstrate the outflow

In the cores of most galaxies, supermassive black holes hiding millions and billions of solar material masses hide. Near these holes there are usually dust and gas tori. During the feeding period, gas is radiated at all wavelengths. Although the models of active galactic nuclei (AGN) work well, it is still difficult to obtain direct evidence of the internal structures due to their remoteness and size (from tens to hundreds of light years).

For a new study used equipment millimeter telescope ALMA. With his help, it was possible to consider the nearest AGN - Arp220, which is particularly active after the recent merger with the neighboring galaxy.

The two nuclei are 1200 light-years distant from each other, and each has a rotating disk of molecular gas with a length of several hundred light-years. An active star birth was observed in the region, as well as at least one molecular velocity outflow. However, many questions remain regarding the structure of internal regions. For example, how is a gas stream released from two nuclei during a merger, and which subregions are responsible for the dominant sources of luminosity? New millimeter observations allowed to break through the dust curtain and try to answer questions.

The researchers were able to resolve the structure of the continuum radiation of two separate nuclei with their dusty and red-hot gas components. They reported that each core has two concentric components associated with stellar-forming disks, activated by black holes. Moreover, smaller (about 60 light-years) contribute to the achievement of 50% submillimeter luminosity, which is twice as high as previous estimates.

In addition, one of the cores has a brightness of about 3 trillion suns. The third linear feature, which can act as an outflow, observed earlier in the spectroscopic data, has also been observed.

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