Unravelling supermassive black hole evolution

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According to a study in Nature Astronomy, supermassive black holes and their host galaxies co-evolve in a synchronized manner. This co-evolution is driven by shared gas supplies and is consistent across galaxy types. 

Supermassive black holes are found in the centers of galaxies and have masses millions or even billions of times greater than the Sun. They grow in size by gradually drawing in more and more nearby dust and gas. 

The formation mechanism for supermassive black holes is still uncertain. One possibility is that they stem from the collapse of supermassive stars. Other possibilities include: 

  • The gravitational collapse of giant gas clouds from which galaxies were formed 
  • The merger of many smaller black holes over time 
  • Growing over billions of years by steadily devouring orbiting stars 

Researchers are working to better understand which factors are critical to the evolution and growth of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies. They combine X-ray observations with other multi-wavelength observations. 

A study in Nature Astronomy reveals a synchronized co-evolution of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies, driven by shared gas supplies and consistent across galaxy types. This groundbreaking research provides vital insights for understanding black hole-galaxy dynamics and shaping future studies.

Supermassive black holes formed in the early universe. Some formed within the first billion years after the Big Bang. One supermassive black hole is believed to have existed in a galaxy over 12 billion years ago. 

Astronomers have observed supermassive black holes in objects that formed about one billion years after the Big Bang.  Some emerged only 690 million years after the Big Bang. This is a very short time in cosmic terms. It’s not enough time for a star to be born, collapse into a black hole, and eat enough mass to become supermassive. 

Current theories predict that supermassive black holes begin their lives in the dust-shrouded cores of “starburst” galaxies. They expel the surrounding gas and dust and emerge as extremely luminous quasars. 

Supermassive black holes are believed to form when supermassive red giant stars explode and then collapse. The remaining mass of the red giant may become a neutron star or quasar. If the remaining mass is large enough, it collapses further and becomes a singularity. In this singularity, the space-time continuum ceases to exist, leading to the formation of a black hole. 

Supermassive black holes can also form through a chain reaction of collisions of stars in compact star clusters. These collisions result in the buildup of extremely massive stars, which then collapse to form intermediate-mass black holes. 

It can take less than a billion years for a supermassive black hole to reach a very large size. However, it is unknown how long it takes them to form generally. 

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