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Science

In reply to the discussion: Question for astronomy buffs. [View all]

Igel

(36,989 posts)
6. I don't think they've detected Hawking radiation.
Thu Apr 6, 2023, 06:24 PM
Apr 2023

I heard one report where somebody thought they did, didn't hear the follow up or confirmation. It's going to be weak and the radiation beams that are noted due to black holes are anything but weak.

No, matter falling towards the black hole winds up in an accretion disk around the black hole; it's moving fast (and it continues to have its momentum--unless it's aiming directly at the BH it's going to go into orbit). Moving fast it runs into other matter and heats up. If it's moving fast enough, it'll emit radiation to slow down.

However, the real emitters are jets and the BH's poles (since most rotate). Matter winds up crunched together (one way or another) and shot outwards at truly astonishing speeds, producing jets of matter and radiation.

Radio and other active galaxies very often have bubbles north and south of their central bulges thanks to the supermassive blackholes at their hearts, but even the Milky Way has Fermi bubbles because our central black hole Sgr A* used to be active.

Neutron stars and protostars also have binary jets. Apparently a white dwarf in the right configuration can, too.

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