Supermassive Black Holes Shape Galaxy Chemistry

New research using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) provides strong evidence that supermassive black holes (SMBHs) alter the chemistry of their host galaxies. The study focused on the barred spiral galaxy NGC 1068 and mapped the distribution of 23 different molecules using ALMA. The researchers found different chemical distributions in the circumnuclear disk (CND) and the starburst ring (SBR) of NGC 1068, indicating the influence of SMBHs on the presence and abundance of chemicals. The study also detected unexpected concentrations of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) in the CND, possibly due to strong shocks, and observed the first detection of silicon monoxide (SiO) in NGC 1068. These findings shed light on the complex interactions between SMBHs and their host galaxies.