Home / Science / Black Holes "Burp": Scientists Reveal Jet Timing Mystery
Black Holes "Burp": Scientists Reveal Jet Timing Mystery
17 Sep
Summary
- Black holes launch powerful jets in two distinct phases.
- Jet timing is linked to the black hole's feeding rate after star disruption.
- Findings aid precise prediction of jet releases and strength.
Researchers have identified a distinct two-phase pattern in the powerful jets emitted by supermassive black holes as they feed. These "cosmic burps" occur after black holes consume stars, a process where material is ejected into space. The timing of these jet launches, once a mystery, is now understood to be linked to specific feeding rates.
The first phase of jet emission happens when the black hole is consuming material at a very high rate. A second, significant phase occurs hundreds to thousands of days later, when the feeding rate drops to approximately 2% of its maximum. This threshold is consistent across different sizes of black holes.
This discovery, made using radio telescopes to observe tidal disruption events, enables scientists to predict precisely when these energetic jets will be released. It also opens avenues for understanding the strength of these jets and their dependence on the black hole's properties, regardless of whether they are supermassive or stellar-mass.
