A group of astronomers from the National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF) has uncovered surprising details about the formation of ultra-massive black holes in the early universe. Utilizing data from the XMM-Newton and Chandra XMM-News telescopes, these researchers found that these cosmic behemoths accumulated mass a billion times faster than the sun, presenting a challenge to current ideas about the universe’s structure.
The astronomers focused their attention on quasars, among the brightest objects in the cosmos. When a supermassive black hole in the center of a galaxy consumes gas and dust in its vicinity, a quasar is formed. This process releases an immense amount of energy into the black hole, generating a luminosity so intense that it outshines all the stars in the galaxy.
Analyzing the data revealed an unexpected correlation between the characteristics of X-ray radiation and the intensity of matter emission from quasars. The temperature of the gas in the crown region near the black hole, which acts as an x-ray source, dictates the flow of matter. A colder crown results in faster outflows, while a higher temperature leads to slower movements of gas masses.
Lead author of the study, Assem Tortos, noted that the growth rate of ultra-massive black holes in the initial quasars formed in the first billion years of the universe exceeded the theoretical Eddington limit, representing the maximum rate of matter absorption by a black hole. Despite differences in mass and age, all studied objects exhibited similar characteristics of X-ray radiation.
The observations were conducted as part of the Hyperion project overseen by Luke Popacosta. The XMM-Newton Space Telescope of the European Space Agency dedicated 700 hours to studying quasars from 2021 to 2023.
Popacosta emphasized the careful selection of objects for observation, primarily focusing on luminaries that had amassed the maximum possible mass.
This newly described super-Eddington mechanism of black hole growth raises questions about existing theories of their formation and evolution. The investigation of distant quasars is set to continue over the next decades. NASA and ESA are planning to launch new X-ray missions – Athena, Axis, and Lynx – between 2030 and 2040, building upon the findings of the Tortosa team and the Hyperion program.