IISER Pune, NCRA find 1st radio galaxy with 4 cycles
Scientists from IISER Pune and the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics have found a galaxy, J023721.13-010528.5, that has been through four different rounds of supermassive black hole activity, the first known radio galaxy showing evidence of four separate episodes of activity from its central supermassive black hole.
Their discovery, published this month, gives a fresh look at how black holes behave over millions of years.
Pavan Khadekar-led team spots 4 hotspots
Led by Ph.D. student Pavan Khadekar, the team used radio telescopes from India, the US and South Africa to spot four sets of bright hotspots, evidence of repeated black hole wake-up moments spanning six to 21 million years.
This international effort could help scientists better understand why black holes switch off and restart, and how their activity changes over time.