For eight days, researchers from the Chandra Observatory observed the X-ray emission
The results of the observations can be seen in the picture below. Objects of white, red and green color are recorded by optical observation, objects of violet color are based on X-rays.
Detected X-ray sources.Distance between objects located at the edges of the image: 11.3 million light years. Image: Chandra X-ray Observatory ACIS Image, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
Researchers note that mostdrop-like objects in the image are galaxies. Large X-ray sources are formed as a result of the fall of matter on supermassive black holes, the mass of which is hundreds of millions of times greater than the mass of the Sun.
Now we are observing the state of the protocluster"Web" during the "cosmic noon", that is, 2-3 billion years after the Big Bang. At this time, according to the researchers, black holes and galaxies experienced a period of extreme growth. However, even for this period of rapid development, the behavior of the "Web" seems anomalous against the background of clusters of the same age and comparable mass, scientists say.
“The presence of 14 sources of powerful X-rayradiation suggests that about 25% of the cluster's most massive galaxies contain actively growing black holes, the researchers emphasize. “This is 5–20 times more than in similar protoclusters.”
Scientists offer two possible explanations forsuch an anomaly. Firstly, the reason for the growth of black holes may be the high speed of collisions and active interaction between galaxies, as a result of which gas is “swept away” towards black holes in the center of galaxies.
The second explanation suggests thatThe protocluster contains a large amount of cold gas, which is more easily absorbed by the black hole than hot gas. Heating of the gas will occur as the protocluster turns into a cluster of galaxies, the researchers say.
</ p>Protocluster (protocluster) is a densea system of dozens of galaxies and gas that existed in the early stages of the development of the universe. In the process of development, it turns into a cluster of galaxies. The Web protocluster is located at a distance of about 10.6 billion light years from Earth.
The Web Galaxy (J1140-2629) is located at the center of the protocluster of the same name. This galaxy got its name for its resemblance to the web, which can be seen in optical light.
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