Central black hole weighs about 2 billion times the mass of our Sun
Findings offer insight into early galaxy and black hole formation
International team led by Italian National Institute for Astrophysics makes discovery
James Webb Space Telescope captures quasar merging with two galaxies
Quasar occurred when universe was less than a billion years old
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured an extraordinary cosmic event: a quasar merging with two massive satellite galaxies. This discovery, made by an international team led by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF), sheds new light on galaxy formation and the growth of black holes in the universe's infancy.
The observations were made using JWST's NIRSpec instrument, which allowed for exceptional quality data with less than 1% uncertainty per pixel in the quasar's spectrum. The team found that one satellite galaxy had low metallicity and was forming stars, while the other had higher metallicity and was partially photoionised by the quasar.
This cosmic merger occurred when the universe was less than a billion years old, yet it is highly evolved. The central black hole weighs about 2 billion times the mass of our Sun.
Roberto Decarli, lead author of the study, explains: “Our study reveals that both the black holes at the centre of high-redshift quasars and the galaxies that host them undergo extremely efficient and tumultuous growth already in the first billion years of cosmic history, aided by the rich galactic environment in which these sources form.”
The findings offer a glimpse into the turbulent early days of galaxy and black hole formation, promising to reshape our understanding of how the universe evolved into what we see today.
Research group led by INAF observed quasar-galaxy merger in the distant universe using JWST’s NIRSpec.
Quasar inside PJ308-21 system interacted with two massive satellite galaxies.
Observations revealed unprecedented details, providing new insights into galaxy growth in early universe.
Host galaxy of PJ308-21 shows high metallicity and AGN properties. One satellite galaxy exhibits low metallicity and star formation induced photoionization.
Second satellite galaxy has higher metallicity and partial photoionization by quasar.
Study determined mass of supermassive black hole at center of system (about 2 billion solar masses).
Both quasar and surrounding galaxies are highly evolved in mass and metal enrichment, constantly growing.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
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None Found At Time Of
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The article contains some instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority, but no formal or blatant logical fallacies were found. The author's statements are generally clear and factual.
][Roberto Decarli, a researcher at INAF in Bologna and first author of the article], explains, [[Our study reveals that both the black holes at the center of high-redshift quasars and the galaxies that host them undergo extremely efficient and tumultuous growth already in the first billion years of cosmic history, aided by the rich galactic environment in which these sources form.]]
The data were obtained in September 2022 as part of Program 1554, one of the nine Italian-led projects of the first observation cycle of JWST. Decarli leads this program to observe the merger between the galaxy hosting the quasar (PJ308-21) and two of its satellite galaxies.
The team led by INAF detected spatially extended emissions from different elements, which were used to study the properties of the ionized interstellar medium, including the source and hardness of the photoionizing radiation field, metallicity, dust obscuration, electron density and temperature, and star formation rate.
An international research team led by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) used the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to capture a quasar-galaxy merger in the PJ308-21 system.
The quasar, located in a galaxy that existed when the universe was less than a billion years old, was observed with remarkable precision using JWST’s Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec).
The NIRSpec instrument captured the quasar’s spectrum with an uncertainty of less than 1% per pixel.
One satellite galaxy shows low metallicity and star formation-induced photoionization, while the second satellite galaxy displays high metallicity.
Both the quasar and the surrounding galaxies are highly evolved in terms of mass and metal enrichment.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The article contains some instances of appeals to authority and inflammatory rhetoric, but no formal or blatant logical fallacies are present. The author provides credible sources and quotes from experts in the field to support their claims.
][Roberto Decarli, a researcher at INAF and the study's lead author], stated, [[Our study reveals that both the black holes at the center of high-redshift quasars and the galaxies that host them undergo extremely efficient and tumultuous growth already in the first billion years of cosmic history, aided by the rich galactic environment in which these sources form.]]
Federica Loiacono, an astrophysicist and research fellow at INAF, emphasized the significance of these observations: [[Thanks to NIRSpec, for the first time we can study in the PJ308-21 system the optical band, rich in precious diagnostic data on properties of the gas near the black hole in the galaxy hosting the quasar and in the surrounding galaxies. We can see, for example, the emission of hydrogen atoms and compare it with the chemical elements produced by stars to establish how rich the gas in galaxies is in metals.]]
The James Webb Space Telescope captured high-quality data from a quasar with a redshift of 6.2342, making it one of the first studied in the universe's first billion years.
The host galaxy showed high metallicity and photoionisation conditions typical of an active galactic nucleus.
One companion galaxy exhibited low metallicity, indicating star formation as the source of photoionisation.
The second companion galaxy had higher metallicity and was partially photoionised by the quasar.
An international research group led by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) observed a quasar-galaxy merger in the distant universe using the Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec) on board the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
The observations revealed unprecedented details about the interaction between a quasar inside the PJ308–21 system and two massive satellite galaxies.
They determined the mass of the supermassive black hole at the center of the system (about 2 billion solar masses).
