James Webb Space Telescope captures evidence of black hole birth via direct collapse

The James Webb Space Telescope has made a groundbreaking discovery that may reshape our understanding of supermassive black holes. While analysing data from the COSMOS-Web survey, astronomers Pieter van Dokkum of Yale University and Gabriel Brammer of the University of Copenhagen identified a highly unusual galaxy, dubbed the Infinity Galaxy, according to NASA reports. Its distinctive shape, resembling the infinity symbol, is thought to have formed from the head-on collision of two disk galaxies. At the centre of this cosmic oddity lies a supermassive black hole, positioned in an unexpected location, offering astronomers a rare glimpse into a possible new way black holes can form.The Infinity Galaxy shows two compact, red nuclei, each surrounded by a ring of stars. When viewed at a 45-degree angle, the overlapping rings create an infinity symbol shape. What makes this galaxy remarkable is the presence of a supermassive black hole located between the two nuclei, embedded in a vast cloud of glowing gas. This unusual position has led scientists to propose that the black hole may have formed through a process known as direct collapse, where a dense gas cloud collapses directly into a black hole, rather than forming stars first.The Hubble-like images captured by JWST’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) show light at 0.9 microns as blue, 1.15 and 1.5 microns as green, and 2.0 microns as red. The two nuclei appear as bright yellow spots, while the ionised hydrogen gas between them glows green.The location of the black hole is unusual. It is not inside either of the galactic nuclei, where supermassive black holes are typically found, but directly in the middle of the ionised gas. Pieter van Dokkum explains, “Finding a black hole that’s not in the nucleus of a massive galaxy is unusual. We think we’re witnessing the birth of a supermassive black hole – something that has never been seen before.”There are two main theories for the formation of supermassive black holes:The Infinity Galaxy may provide evidence supporting the heavy seed theory. During the collision, the gas in the two galaxies could have been compressed into a dense knot, collapsing directly into a black hole instead of forming stars.Follow-up observations with other telescopes, such as NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Array, confirm that the black hole is actively growing. Radio and X-ray data show the black hole is pulling in surrounding material, while the velocity of the gas aligns with the black hole’s motion, suggesting it formed in place rather than being ejected or part of a different galaxy.Interestingly, both of the galaxy’s nuclei also contain active supermassive black holes, making this system home to three confirmed black holes: two in the original nuclei and one in the middle.Supermassive black holes are mysterious and difficult to study, especially those that formed in the early universe. The James Webb Space Telescope has already identified several massive black holes that existed too soon for the traditional light seed formation to explain. The Infinity Galaxy may provide a first look at a black hole forming via direct collapse, helping astronomers understand the extreme physics involved.Dr Ragadeepika Pucha of the University of Utah, who was not involved in the study, says, “If this black hole’s origin is proven, it’s the first step towards understanding the direct-collapse scenario.”Also read | 10 fascinating facts about the Milky Way galaxy