An international team of astronomers using the powerful ALMA telescope has made an incredible discovery at the center of our galaxy. Around the supermassive Sagittarius A* black hole, which is hidden in the heart of the Milky Way, they found a network of thin filamentary structures. These “cosmic filaments,” according to scientists, play a key role in the cyclical process of gas emission and replenishment, resembling giant tornadoes that scatter matter through space. The results of the study are published in Astronomy & Astrophysics.
What’s hidden in the galactic nucleus?
The central molecular zone (CMZ) around the Sagittarius A* black hole has always been a place of intense motion: clouds of gas and dust are constantly forming and interacting here. However, the mechanisms that drive these processes have remained a mystery. A new phase of research using ALMA has provided the most detailed images of the region – and uncovered previously unknown structures.
“We noticed long narrow ‘filaments’ that were not related to star formation. They resemble alien artifacts – we haven’t seen anything like this before,” said Kai Yang, leader of the research team from Shanghai University.
Discovering gas tornadoes
Observations of molecules, particularly silicon monoxide (SiO) and methanol, have shown that the filaments move at incredible speeds. This suggests that they are associated with shock waves, which arise from the interaction between the black hole’s powerful emissions and the surrounding molecular clouds. By analogy with terrestrial phenomena, scientists compare them to tornadoes: violent streams of gas “dissipate”, dispersing matter further, and then it condenses back into dust.
“These filaments are an important link in the cycle of matter. They efficiently transport chemical compounds, restarting the cycle of new star and cloud birth,” explained Xing Lu, a study author from the Shanghai Observatory.
The origin of filaments
Scientists hypothesize that the structures form when shock waves compress molecular clouds. The gas then dissipates and the matter gradually cools, settling back to dust particles. This process resembles the endless dance of creation and destruction that sustains the life cycle of the galactic center.
The researchers plan to continue studying the filaments with ALMA to find out their exact origin and their impact on galaxy evolution. This discovery not only reveals new details about the heart of the Milky Way, but also reminds us how dynamic and unpredictable our universe is.
We previously reported on how black holes memorize their victims in quantum mazes.
According to scitechdaily.com
