Repeating Cosmic Explosion Baffles Astronomers, Hints at Mysterious Black Hole
An unprecedented cosmic event – a shining flash of energy repeating every three years – has left astronomers puzzled, potentially signaling the discovery of an elusive intermediate-mass black hole. The unusual outburst, detected in galaxy GSN 069, is unlike any previously observed, challenging existing models of black hole behavior.
The repeating nature of the explosion is especially perplexing. While transient events in space are common, a consistent recurrence suggests a cyclical process linked to a central engine, most likely a black hole. Intermediate-mass black holes, ranging between 100 and 100,000 times the mass of our sun, are a missing link in black hole evolution, theorized to form from the merging of stellar-mass black holes but notoriously difficult to find. Understanding these objects is crucial to understanding how supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies originate and grow.
The team, led by Dr. Martin-Carrillo at the University of California, Santa Cruz, is currently analyzing the aftermath of the latest explosion to pinpoint its exact location and measure the energy released. ”We are still not sure what produced this or if we can ever really find out but, with this research, we have made a huge step forward towards understanding this extremely unusual and exciting object,” Martin-Carrillo said. The repeating explosions were first observed in 2019, with subsequent events recorded in 2022 and 2024.
Astronomers believe stellar-mass black holes collide and merge over time to form intermediate-mass black holes. These intermediate-mass black holes are larger than stellar-mass black holes (formed when massive stars collapse) but smaller than the supermassive black holes found at the center of most galaxies. Locating these intermediate-mass black holes has proven incredibly difficult. Further research into GSN 069’s repeating outburst could provide vital clues to their existence and behavior.
