The not yet completely clarified the phenomenon was spotted in 2007, first of all, has been covered since 2011, however, from our sun. In the British journal "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society," reported a Team led by the main author Chichuan Jin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, now on the re-discovery of the "heartbeat" with the European x-ray satellite, "XMM-Newton" in the year 2018.

The origin is located 600 million light-years away

"that heartbeat is amazing," said Jin, in a communication of the University of Durham, whose researchers were involved in the work. "It shows that such signals from supermassive Black holes can be very strong and of great endurance."

the origin of the x-ray pulses is the supermassive Black hole in the center of the 600 million light-years away in the galaxy with the catalog number of RE J1034+396. It is surrounded by a so-called accretion disk, the matter collects, before it disappears never to be seen again in the Black hole. The down falling matter heats up so much that it glows brightly in x-ray range.

The endurance of the signal, a surprise to researchers

"The main idea for the creation of this heart is a shock, that the inner portions of the accretion disk to expand and contract," explained Co-author Chris Done from Durham University. In this way, matter could fall gushing into the Black hole.

can give blows, The time between the "heart" thus, information about the size and the structure of matter in the immediate vicinity of the Black hole. Surprised the researchers from the endurance of the signal.

rediscovery as an opportunity,

Since 2011, the origin of the galaxy was in the sky too close to the sun for an observation with x-ray satellites. Their sensitive instruments must always point away from the sun. "XMM-Newton" can only be observed at an angle of 70 to 110 degrees from the sun, as Jin explained. Everything further to the North or to the South, is for the satellite not accessible.

Until 2018, the Black hole appeared again in the observable area. Until then, it was not clear whether the "heartbeat" is a short-term phenomenon or lasts longer. The re-discovery, now offers the opportunity to examine the nature and exact origin of the "heart beat"signal more accurately, so-Jin.

til/dpa

Date Of Update: 19 June 2020, 13:26