All articles tagged with #tidal disruption events
Scientists have identified that the brightest blue cosmic explosions, known as LFBOTs, are caused by black holes shredding stars in extreme Tidal Disruption Events, with the recent discovery of AT 2024wpp providing strong evidence that these events are far more energetic than typical supernovae and involve black holes feeding on companion stars, resulting in powerful high-energy emissions.
Scientists have identified that the brightest blue cosmic explosions, called LFBOTs, are caused by black holes shredding stars in extreme Tidal Disruption Events, with the recent discovery of AT 2024wpp providing key evidence that these events produce energy far exceeding that of typical supernovae.
Astronomers may have identified the origin of luminous fast blue optical transients (LFBOTs), specifically AT 2024wpp, as remnants of a supermassive black hole tearing apart a star, providing new insights into extreme cosmic phenomena and black hole physics.
The James Webb Space Telescope has observed the first evidence of black holes in dusty galaxies quietly consuming stars through tidal disruption events, revealing that many such black holes are dormant and hidden by dust, and providing new insights into their feeding processes and environments.
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have for the first time observed tidal disruption events in dusty galaxies, revealing dormant black holes devouring stars, with infrared signals confirming black hole accretion and highlighting JWST's potential to uncover hidden cosmic phenomena.
A star has been observed escaping a supermassive black hole and returning for a second encounter, challenging previous understanding of tidal disruption events and suggesting some black holes may partially consume stars rather than fully destroy them. The discovery raises questions about the nature of these flares and whether stars can survive multiple close encounters with black holes, potentially rewriting theories about black hole-star interactions.
Astronomers using the Gaia space telescope have accidentally captured the biggest space explosions since the Big Bang, called extreme nuclear transients (ENTs), which are massive, long-lasting flares caused by stars being torn apart by supermassive black holes, providing new insights into black hole growth and galaxy evolution.
Researchers have discovered that the "wobble" of an accretion disk formed from a star ripped apart by a supermassive black hole can reveal the black hole's spin speed. This wobble, caused by the Lense-Thirring effect, was observed using NASA's NICER X-ray telescope. The findings suggest that the black hole involved in the event was spinning slower than expected, at less than 25% the speed of light. Future observations, particularly with the upcoming Vera C. Rubin Observatory, could provide more insights into the spin distribution and evolution of supermassive black holes.
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.
Astronomers have discovered that Compact Symmetric Objects (CSOs), a class of active galaxies hosting supermassive black holes, have relatively short lifespans of thousands of years, unlike other galaxies with longer-lived jets. These jets are likely fueled by tidal disruption events, where a single massive star is shredded by a supermassive black hole, leading to the formation of ultrafast bipolar jets that last up to 5,000 years. The study, led by a Caltech team, identified and verified 64 CSOs, shedding light on a distinct population of galaxies and providing a new avenue for studying interactions between massive stars and supermassive black holes.
An international team of researchers has discovered 18 previously hidden tidal disruption events (TDEs) where black holes tear apart stars, using infrared observations to penetrate dust-rich galaxies. These events, which were missed by optical and X-ray searches, provide new insights into TDE demographics and suggest that TDEs may be more common than previously thought. The findings also address the "missing energy" question and indicate that future surveys with infrared capabilities could reveal hundreds or even thousands of TDEs annually.
Astronomers from MIT have discovered 18 new instances of black holes tearing apart and consuming stars, doubling the known number of such events in the local universe. These Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs) occur when a star gets too close to a black hole, resulting in the star being stretched and torn apart in a process called "spaghettification." The findings suggest that TDEs can occur in a wider range of galaxies than previously thought, and the team used infrared light and an algorithm to identify these events. The research also explains why TDEs were previously thought to occur only in specific types of galaxies and provides insights into the mechanics behind these cosmic phenomena.
MIT scientists have discovered 18 new tidal disruption events (TDEs) by looking for infrared emissions, doubling the catalog of known TDEs in the universe. By using infrared observations, the team found TDEs in a range of galaxies, resolving previous puzzles and discrepancies in the study of these events. The findings suggest that black holes can devour stars in various types of galaxies and may help estimate the rate at which TDEs occur. This research was supported, in part, by NASA.
MIT scientists have discovered 18 new tidal disruption events (TDEs) by using infrared observations, doubling the known TDEs in the nearby universe. These TDEs occur when a nearby star is drawn into a black hole and ripped apart, emitting bursts of energy across the electromagnetic spectrum. By looking in the infrared band, the team found TDEs in a variety of galaxies, resolving previous puzzles and providing a better understanding of how stars are devoured by black holes.
New simulations have accurately replicated the entire sequence of a Tidal Disruption Event (TDE) from stellar disruption to the peak luminosity of the resulting flare, unveiling a previously unknown type of shockwave within TDEs and settling a longstanding debate about the energy source of the brightest phases in these events. This breakthrough paves the way for future studies to utilize TDE observations as a means to measure essential properties of black holes and potentially test Einstein's predictions in extreme gravitational environments, shedding new light on the mysteries of supermassive black holes.