By studying 21 distant quasars, researchers discovered that supermassive black holes expanded at super-Eddington rates less than a billion years after the Big Bang.
According to a science and technology report by Brena News Agency, researchers using the XMM-Newton and Chandra space telescopes uncovered a connection between X-ray emissions from these quasars and the rapid growth of supermassive black holes during the universe’s early stages. This finding suggests that these black holes grew in defiance of known physical laws.
The study, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, explains the swift formation of supermassive black holes, with masses billions of times greater than the Sun, within the first billion years after the Big Bang Theory era.
Cosmic Dawn and X-Ray Studies
Italian National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) researchers analyzed X-ray emissions from 21 of the most distant quasars. The data revealed that the supermassive black holes in these quasars—formed at the “cosmic dawn”—gained mass through rapid and intense matter absorption.
Key Findings
- X-ray observations showed that material winds ejected from black holes, traveling thousands of kilometers per second, correlate with the gas temperature in the hot corona (the closest region to the black hole).
- Quasars emitting lower-energy X-rays and with cooler coronae exhibited faster winds, entering a super-Eddington growth phase. Conversely, quasars with higher-energy X-rays showed slower winds.
“Supermassive black holes in the universe’s first quasars likely grew rapidly, exceeding physical limits,” stated Alciatortossa, the study’s lead author. This insight addresses one of astrophysics’ greatest mysteries.
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HYPERION Project Contributions
The findings emerged from 700 hours of XMM-Newton telescope observations under the HYPERION project, dedicated to studying ultraluminous quasars from the cosmic dawn. Led by Italian scientists, this project lays the groundwork for upcoming X-ray missions like ATHENA and Lynx. These missions aim to uncover the origins of the universe’s earliest galactic structures.
This revision incorporates keyword variations, such as black hole image, supermassive black holes, Big Bang theory, HYPERION, and X-ray observations, while preserving the context and human-like tone.
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