Inflation of 430-parsec bipolar radio bubbles in the Galactic Centre by an energetic event
Journal article, 2019
The Galactic Centre contains a supermassive black hole with a mass of four million Suns1 within an environment that differs markedly from that of the Galactic disk. Although the black hole is essentially quiescent in the broader context of active galactic nuclei, X-ray observations have provided evidence for energetic outbursts from its surroundings2. Also, although the levels of star formation in the Galactic Centre have been approximately constant over the past few hundred million years, there is evidence of increased short-duration bursts3, strongly influenced by the interaction of the black hole with the enhanced gas density present within the ring-like central molecular zone4 at Galactic longitude |l| < 0.7 degrees and latitude |b| < 0.2 degrees. The inner 200-parsec region is characterized by large amounts of warm molecular gas5, a high cosmic-ray ionization rate6, unusual gas chemistry, enhanced synchrotron emission7,8, and a multitude of radio-emitting magnetized filaments9, the origin of which has not been established. Here we report radio imaging that reveals a bipolar bubble structure, with an overall span of 1 degree by 3 degrees (140 parsecs × 430 parsecs), extending above and below the Galactic plane and apparently associated with the Galactic Centre. The structure is edge-brightened and bounded, with symmetry implying creation by an energetic event in the Galactic Centre. We estimate the age of the bubbles to be a few million years, with a total energy of 7 × 1052 ergs. We postulate that the progenitor event was a major contributor to the increased cosmic-ray density in the Galactic Centre, and is in turn the principal source of the relativistic particles required to power the synchrotron emission of the radio filaments within and in the vicinity of the bubble cavities.
Author
I. Heywood
Rhodes University
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
University of Oxford
F. Camilo
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
W. D. Cotton
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
National Radio Astronomy Observatory
F. Yusef-Zadeh
Northwestern University
T. D. Abbott
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. M. Adam
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
M. A. Aldera
Tellumat (Pty) Ltd
E. F. Bauermeister
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Roy Booth
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Astronomy and Plasmaphysics
A. G. Botha
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
D. H. Botha
EMSS Antennas
L. R.S. Brederode
SKA Organisation
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Z. B. Brits
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. J. Buchner
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. P. Burger
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. M. Chalmers
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
T. Cheetham
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Dirk I. L. de Villiers
Stellenbosch University
M. A. Dikgale-Mahlakoana
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
L. J. du Toit
EMSS Antennas
S. W.P. Esterhuyse
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
B. Fanaroff
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. R. Foley
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
D. J. Fourie
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. Gamatham
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. Goedhart
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. Gounden
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
M. J. Hlakola
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
C. J. Hoek
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. Hokwana
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
D. Horn
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. Horrell
University of Cape Town
B. Hugo
Rhodes University
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. R. Isaacson
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. L. Jonas
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Rhodes University
J. D.B.L. Jordaan
EMSS Antennas
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. Joubert
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
G. I.G. Józsa
Rhodes University
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. P.M. Julie
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
F. B. Kapp
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. S. Kenyon
Rhodes University
P. P.A. Kotzé
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
H. Kriel
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
T. W. Kusel
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. Lehmensiek
EMSS Antennas
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
D. Liebenberg
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. Loots
Presidential Infrastructure Coordinating Commission
R. T. Lord
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
B. M. Lunsky
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
P. S. Macfarlane
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
L. G. Magnus
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
C. M. Magozore
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
O. Mahgoub
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. P.L. Main
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. A. Malan
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. D. Malgas
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
J. R. Manley
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
M. D.J. Maree
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
B. Merry
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. Millenaar
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
N. Mnyandu
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
I. P.T. Moeng
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
T. E. Monama
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
M. C. Mphego
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
W. S. New
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
B. Ngcebetsha
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Rhodes University
N. Oozeer
African Institute for Mathematical Sciences
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. J. Otto
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. S. Passmoor
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. A. Patel
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Adriaan Peens-Hough
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. J. Perkins
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. M. Ratcliffe
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. Renil
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. Rust
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. Salie
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
L. C. Schwardt
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
M. Serylak
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
University of the Western Cape
R. Siebrits
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. Sirothia
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Rhodes University
O. Smirnov
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Rhodes University
L. Sofeya
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
P. S. Swart
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
C. Tasse
Rhodes University
Observatoire de Paris-Meudon
D. T. Taylor
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Isak P. Theron
Rhodes University
EMSS Antennas
K. Thorat
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Rhodes University
A. J. Tiplady
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
S. Tshongweni
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
T. J. van Balla
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
A. van der Byl
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
C. van der Merwe
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
C. L. van Dyk
Peralex Electronics (Pty) Ltd
R. Van Rooyen
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
V. Van Tonder
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
R. Van Wyk
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
B. H. Wallace
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
M. G. Welz
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
L. P. Williams
South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)
Nature
0028-0836 (ISSN) 1476-4687 (eISSN)
Vol. 573 7773 235-237Subject Categories
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Condensed Matter Physics
DOI
10.1038/s41586-019-1532-5
PubMed
31511683