Gamma rays emanating from nearby galaxies discovered for the first time ever

For the first time ever, astronomers have detected streams of gamma rays being channeled towards them from supermassive black holes in nearby galaxies, reported Daily Mail. Led by a team of experts from the US-based Clemson University, the research found that these rays are emanating due to the Ultra-Fast Outflows or UFOs, which are being powered by the black holes as per reports by the afore-mentioned outlet. The UFOs are nothing but strong winds blowing out of supermassive black holes, something that can drive the growth of the black hole along with the host galaxy. Experts believe that data from these findings might help them to understand how our galaxy, The Milky Way, and the black hole at its center behaved in its early days.

Detecting the first UFO-induced gamma rays

With the combined efforts of researchers from Clemson University, College of Charleston, and the University of Chicago, the gamma rays were discovered, findings of which have been published in The Astrophysical Journal. For confirming the discovery, the astronomers used NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope along with a 'stacking' technique to detect the UFO's weak gamma-ray signals. 

According to scientists, these gamma rays that are emanating, thanks to the UFOs, can help them determine how active Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole in the Milky Way's center, was in the past. Currently, the Sagittarius A* is classified as an inactive black hole but recent data has revealed that it is much more active than previously thought. Citing a statement from the study's lead author Chris Karwin, Daily Mail reported him saying about UFOs-

Although these winds are challenging to detect, it is thought that they play a significant role in how a massive black hole and the host galaxy itself grow. Our gamma-ray observations show how supermassive black holes can transfer a large amount of energy to their host galaxy. These UFOs create shock waves, which act like pistons and actually accelerate charged particles, known as cosmic rays, to near the speed of light.

Karwin added that this is a mechanism, through which black holes and the galaxies, they reside in, grow in mass. It is known that Sagittarius A* was highly active in the past and according to Karwin, their discovery might shed some light on the time when the Milky Way's black hole jumped into inactivity. 

Image: Twitter/@ESA