Science magazine reports results from Magic , Veritas, HESS, and the VLBA radio array that teamed up to observe a flare from the radio galaxy M87. With the high angular resolution of the VLBA, it was possible to see an increase of activity very close to the black hole that lies at the center of M87. The unique contribution of such detection is that it traces the origin of particle acceleration to the vicinity of the black hole. The beautiful jet that you see in the picture results from particles being accelerated to very large velocities. We just do not know how/where are the particles accelerated. We suspect that it all has to do with a black hole at the center of the galaxy. Now these results show that the the initial acceleration must indeed occur at the base of the jet rather than far away. You can read the Magic press release here.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
MAGIC and M87
Science magazine reports results from Magic , Veritas, HESS, and the VLBA radio array that teamed up to observe a flare from the radio galaxy M87. With the high angular resolution of the VLBA, it was possible to see an increase of activity very close to the black hole that lies at the center of M87. The unique contribution of such detection is that it traces the origin of particle acceleration to the vicinity of the black hole. The beautiful jet that you see in the picture results from particles being accelerated to very large velocities. We just do not know how/where are the particles accelerated. We suspect that it all has to do with a black hole at the center of the galaxy. Now these results show that the the initial acceleration must indeed occur at the base of the jet rather than far away. You can read the Magic press release here.
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