A supermassive black hole from the early universe is challenging established theories with its unexpected behavior. The object, a quasar designated ID830, isn’t only growing at a rate faster than previously understood limits for black holes, but it’s simultaneously emitting extreme levels of both X-rays and radio waves – a combination scientists hadn’t predicted. This discovery offers a new window into the conditions of the early universe and the formation of these cosmic giants.
ID830 is an exceptionally bright and active quasar, exhibiting powerful bursts of radiation from both its poles. Simultaneously, material falling into the black hole generates strong X-ray emissions as it rapidly spirals inward. Observations indicate that approximately 12 billion years ago, when the universe was only 15 percent of its current age, ID830 already had a mass around 440 million times that of our Sun. This is more than 100 times the mass of Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy.
An international team of researchers detailed their findings in a study published January 21 in The Astrophysical Journal, having analyzed ID830 across multiple wavelengths to understand the mechanisms driving its unusual activity.
According to established theory, black hole growth is limited by a process known as the Eddington limit, where the radiation pressure from infalling material counteracts further accretion. However, scientists acknowledge that black holes can temporarily exceed this limit during a phase called super-Eddington.
“It should be perfectly possible for a black hole to eat material faster than the Eddington limit for a short period of time before the radiation pressure builds up and limits the accretion rate,” explained Anthony Taylor, an astronomer at the University of Texas at Austin who was not involved in the research.
Researchers calculated ID830’s growth rate by measuring its ultraviolet and X-ray brightness. The results showed the object is consuming matter approximately 13 times faster than the Eddington limit. One potential explanation is a sudden influx of gas, perhaps triggered by ID830 disrupting and consuming a passing celestial object.
Sakiko Obuchi, an observational astronomer at Waseda University in Tokyo and a co-author of the study, explained, “For an SMBH of ID830’s size, this would require not a normal star, but a more massive giant star or a very large gas cloud.” She added that such super-Eddington phases are expected to last only around 300 years.
Another intriguing aspect is the simultaneous presence of radio and X-ray emissions. This combination is considered unusual, as super-Eddington accretion is thought to suppress the emergence of these emissions. Researchers suggest this indicates physical mechanisms not yet fully understood in models of jet formation and extreme accretion.
ID830’s behavior reveals a rare transitional phase where a black hole is undergoing an exceptionally intense “feeding frenzy.” The immense energy released not only accelerates its growth but can also impact the surrounding galaxy by heating and dispersing interstellar gas, potentially suppressing new star formation.
These findings provide crucial insights into how supermassive black holes could grow so rapidly in the early universe, and how they shaped the evolution of the galaxies they inhabit. (Live Science/Z-2)
