Citizen Scientists Discover Unprecedentedโ “Odd Radioโ Circle,” Revealing โComplex โInteractions Between Galaxies adn Blackโค Holes
November 15, 2024 โ- A team โincluding volunteer “citizenโ scientists” has identified the โฃmost powerful odd radio circle โ(ORC) discovered toโ date, โoffering new insights into โthe relationship between galaxies, โขblack holes, and the energetic phenomena that shapeโ the cosmos. The revelation, made using the Low Frequencyโ Array (LOFAR) โradio telescope โin โEurope, โขsuggests these enigmatic structures mayโ be formed by powerfulโฃ “superwinds” compressing dormant radio lobes, and are part of a larger family of exotic plasma structures.
The newly identifiedโข ORC,designated RAD โคJ131346.9+500320, is particularly striking due to its clarity and the surrounding โคradio signals detected nearby. These signals originate from โtwo gigantic galaxies within a crowded galaxy cluster, actively blasting โขout jets of โplasma and radio emissions. Researchers believe โคthis activity, combined withโ theโข surrounding surroundings, played a key โคrole โขin shaping โtheโ ring-likeโ structure.
“ORCs are among โขthe most bizarre โand gorgeous cosmic structures we’ve ever seen-and thay may โhold vital clues about how galaxies and black holes co-evolve,hand-in-hand,” said ananda โHota,study lead author and founder โฃof the RAD@home Astronomy Collaboratory for citizen science research,in a statement.
Odd radioโข circles are only visible using radio telescopes, appearing as faint rings at low frequencies while remaining invisible at other wavelengths. โคSince โคtheir recent emergence into view thanks โto advances โin radio astronomy, astronomers haveโฃ been โขworking to determineโค their origin. โPrevious theories suggested they could beโ shockwaves from โคmerging galaxies or black holes, or remnantsโข of supernovas. The new findings add another layer to โขthe puzzle, proposing aโข connection to galactic โคsuperwinds – powerful outflows from energetic events within galaxies.
“These discoveries show that ORCs and radio rings are not isolated curiosities,” noted Pratik โขDabhade, study co-author and an astronomer โฃatโ the Nationalโข Center for Nuclearโ Research in Poland, in a statement. “They are part of a broader family of exotic plasma structures shaped by black hole jets,โค winds, and their environments.”
Significantly, the discovery underscores the value of citizen science in modern astronomy. โคThe initial detection โฃof the signals โwas made by volunteers usingโฃ LOFAR, โฃwith professional scientists from the RAD@homeโ Astronomy Collaboratory subsequently confirming the findings. โ
“The fact that citizen scientists uncovered them highlights the continued โฃimportanceโ of human pattern recognition, even in โฃthe โคageโ of machine learning,” Dabhade added.
The research builds on previous work exploring the origins of ORCs, including studiesโค suggesting a bubbly origin and investigations into their proximity to large galaxies. โฃTheโ findings were published in research highlights byโข the Royal Astronomical Society and detailed in publications by the Astrophysical Journal and Astronomy & โคAstrophysics.
