Black Holes Can Cook for Themselves, Chandra Study Shows - NASA
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Astronomers have taken a crucial step in showing that the most massive black holes in the universe can create their own meals. Data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray

Astronomers have taken a crucial step in showing that the most massive black holes in the universe can create their own meals. Data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Telescope (VLT) provide new evidence that outbursts from black holes can help cool down gas to feed themselves.

  • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
    1·
    2 days ago

    The cool or hot aspect doesn’t really seem to matter. They seem to be describing a simple cycle. The black hole shoots jets of material outward, that material now in a vacuum naturally wants to diffuse and expand in every direction. Some of that material expands in a direction that gets it sucked back into the black hole and triggers the whole process all over again.

    I’m not clear if the cycle is self sustaining or if it loses energy over time. It may be that the gas being sucked in acts as a catalyst that results in shooting significantly more material outward, effectively sustaining the reaction indefinitely, but like I said, that aspect was not really clear from what I read.