Spinning black hole powers jet by magnetic flux

Black holes are at the center of almost all galaxies that have been studied so far. They have an unimaginably large mass and therefore attract matter, gas and even light.

But they can also emit matter in the form of plasma jets—a kind of plasma beam that is ejected from the center of the galaxy with tremendous energy. A plasma jet can extend several hundred thousand light years far into space.

When this intense radiation is emitted, the black hole remains hidden because the light rays near it are strongly bent leading to the appearance of a shadow.

Continued...
Source

Credit: Amit Shukla

The centre of quasar 3C279 emits flickering gamma radiation, which is characteristic of the phenomenon of magnetic reconnection.

Continued...
Source / Image Courtesy

Black Holes Generate Bursting Jets of Gas

New simulations of the jets produced by rotating supermassive black holes in the cores of galaxies show how, with enough power, the corkscrewing fields (white squiggles) can force their way through surrounding gas and drill out of the galaxy, channeling hot gas into the interstellar medium (top).

Less powerful jets get stalled inside the galaxy, however, their magnetic fields breaking and dumping hot gas inside and heating up the galaxy. These stalled jets may be part of the black hole feedback mechanism that periodically halts the inflow of gas that feeds the black hole