Deep within the distant universe, a remarkable discovery has challenged our understanding of black hole growth. Astronomers have identified RACS J0320-35, a quasar whose light has journeyed 12.8 billion years to reach Earth, offering a glimpse into the universe's infancy, just 920 million years after the Big Bang. This ancient quasar harbors a supermassive black hole of astonishing proportions – a billion times the mass of our Sun – and shines brighter in X-rays than any other known black hole from the universe's first billion years.
The black hole's exceptional brightness stems from its voracious appetite. It's consuming matter at a rate far exceeding the theoretical Eddington limit – a limit imposed by the outward pressure of radiation. Observations from the Chandra X-ray Observatory revealed that RACS J0320-35 is devouring material at a rate 2.4 times the Eddington limit, equivalent to consuming 300 to 3,000 solar masses of material annually. This is the fastest growth rate ever observed for a black hole in the universe's first billion years.
This discovery fundamentally alters our understanding of early black hole formation. Previously, it was believed that billion-solar-mass black holes could only form from the direct collapse of massive gas clouds. However, the extreme growth rate of RACS J0320-35 suggests that smaller black holes, perhaps originating from the collapse of massive stars, could rapidly reach such immense sizes. This opens a new pathway for explaining the existence of these cosmic giants in the early universe.
Adding to its uniqueness, RACS J0320-35 also produces jets of particles traveling near the speed of light, a rare characteristic among quasars. Researchers hypothesize a connection between this jet production and the black hole's exceptionally fast growth. This discovery challenges established theories, potentially reshaping our understanding of the early universe's evolution and the formation of supermassive black holes. Further research is needed to determine if this extreme growth rate is sustained over long periods or a temporary phenomenon. The investigation of similar ‘rule-breaking’ quasars using advanced observatories like Chandra, and future facilities, holds the key to unlocking the mysteries surrounding these enigmatic celestial bodies.
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Originally published at: https://interestingengineering.com/space/astronomers-spot-fastest-growing-black-hole
