The secrets of the Universe continue to be revealed. The first observations from the XRISM telescope change our view of the matter around black holes and supernovae by revealing previously inaccessible details.
Launched in 2023, XRISM is a joint project of JAXA, NASA and ESA. Its first data are shaking up our understanding of the most violent objects in the cosmos. By analyzing X-rays, it can probe areas where burning plasmas exist.
(a) Xtend image of N132D obtained with full-window mode observation, color corresponds to intensity. The “gaps” are due to the charge injection lines.
(b) Xtend image obtained with observation in 1/8 window mode. Red, green and blue correspond to 0.3–0.5 keV, 0.5–1.75 keV and 1.75–10 keV, respectively.
The first significant discovery concerns the residue of supernova N132D which exploded 3,000 years ago, located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, 160,000 light years away. Contrary to assumptions of a simple bubble, XRISM revealed a complex and rapidly expanding donut-shaped structure. This plasma moves at 1200 km/s, at a dizzying temperature of 10 billion degrees. For comparison, the core of our Sun is at 15 million degrees.
These elements are essential for understanding the process of dispersion of heavy materials, such as iron, in interstellar space. These substances play a key role in the formation of new generations of stars. Before the advent of XRISM, it was impossible to access such precise data regarding these phenomena.
The telescope also probed the supermassive black hole in the galaxy NGC 4151, 62 million light years away, whose mass is 30 million times that of the Sun.
Using X-rays, researchers mapped the matter swirling around the black hole. They discovered accretion disks and a torus of dust and gas, essential elements for understanding the growth of black holes. Before being swallowed up by the black hole, the matter surrounding it gradually moves inward to a distance of 0.001 light year (i.e. the distance between Uranus and the Sun).
The spectroscopy used by XRISM makes it possible to observe the movements of iron atoms on unprecedented scales. By studying this material, researchers hope to unlock the secrets of the evolution of galaxies.
These first discoveries mark the beginning of a new era of observations. XRISM plans to scan more than a hundred celestial objects in the coming years, promising revelations about cosmic phenomena.
What is a supermassive black hole?
A supermassive black hole is a celestial object extremely dense with a mass equivalent to millions or even billions of times that of the Sun. It usually forms at the heart of galaxies and exerts a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light, can escape.
These giants actively absorb surrounding matter, particularly in the form of gas and dust. This process forms an accretion disk around the black hole, where matter heats up to extreme temperatures, emitting powerful radiation such as X-rays. Astronomers use these emissions to indirectly observe black holes.
A supermassive black hole plays an essential role in the evolution of its host galaxy. By accreting matter, it influences its environment through jets of particles and energy, which can slow or stimulate the formation of nearby stars.
What is the event horizon in a black hole?
The event horizon is border of a black hole beyond which nothing, not even light, can escape. This limit marks the point where the gravitational force becomes so strong that the release speed exceeds that of light.
By crossing the event horizon, all matter is irretrievably drawn toward the singularity, where the laws of classical physics no longer apply. The extreme distortion of space-time makes any return or transmission of information to the outside impossible.
How does gravity affect time near a black hole?
A black hole’s gravity slows down time near the event horizon. This phenomenon, called dilatation gravitational time, is predicted by the general relativity of Einstein. The closer we get to the black hole, the more time appears to slow down compared to a distant observer.
As the event horizon approaches, time to an outside observer appears to stop, although in reality, for the falling object, time continues normally. This temporal distortion shows the profound influence of gravitational fields on time.
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