A galaxy 236 million light - years away has experienced a very peculiar outburst in its central region . Analysis of the observation suggests that the likely culprit is a magnetic field reversal — something that has not been seen before .
Reporting in a newspaper accepted for publication inThe Astrophysical Journal , the All - Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae was the first to notice galaxy 1ES 1927 + 654 brightening in visible light by nearly 100 time . This was back in March 2018 , but a search for previous modification extend the squad to happen upon that the aim had been brightening for a few months at that peak .
NASA ’s Swift observed the galax in May 2018 , seeing elevate ultraviolet emissions roughly 12 times undimmed than expected . But it was decreasing , which suggested that the peak had been escape . At that point , the galaxy was one among a small number of object that has been realize acting in this direction . In June 2018 , however , it became unique . Its X - ray emission vanish totally .
“ Rapid changes in visible and ultraviolet lightness have been seen in a few dozen galaxies similar to this one , ” Dr Sibasish Laha , a inquiry scientist at NASA ’s Goddard Space Flight Center , said in astatement . “ But this result marks the first time we ’ve find out X - re drop out completely while the other wavelength light up . ”
At the center of attention of almost every galaxy – and maybe all of them – dwell a supermassive black muddle . The enormous and exceedingly dense object feed on cloth that finally form anaccretion disk around them . The disgraceful pickle itself is then shrouded by a swarm of super spicy particles , the corona , that emit very high - energy ecstasy - rays .
Magnetic subject from black holesare thought to be key in maintain the corona . But thefirst explanationof what had befall here was that the scheme was interrupt by a genius that got too close and was ripped apart and change state into plasma . Now astronomers favor the idea that the magnetic athletic field of the supermassive black fix just flipped .
“ A magnetised reversal , where the north pole becomes south and vice versa , seems to well fit the observations , ” suppose co - author Mitchell Begelman , a prof in the department of astrophysical and planetary sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder . “ The field initially weakens at the fringe of the accretion disk , lead to majuscule heat and brightening in visible and ultraviolet radiation light . "
Magnetic field reversal has happen toEarth often in geologic time , and now this finding suggest that many other target see it in the cosmos , too .
