"Unraveling the Mystery of Short Supermassive Black Hole Jets"

Astronomers have discovered that "Compact Symmetric Objects" (CSOs) are active galaxies with short-lived jets that are the result of supermassive black holes ripping apart massive stars in tidal disruption events (TDEs). These jets have short lifetimes of 5,000 years or less and then fade away. The team also found that only 1% of CSOs will go on to have long-lived events with extended jets. This research provides new insights into the behavior of supermassive black holes and the formation of CSOs, shedding light on a previously overlooked population of galaxies.