1
|
Lu RS, Asada K, Krichbaum TP, Park J, Tazaki F, Pu HY, Nakamura M, Lobanov A, Hada K, Akiyama K, Kim JY, Marti-Vidal I, Gómez JL, Kawashima T, Yuan F, Ros E, Alef W, Britzen S, Bremer M, Broderick AE, Doi A, Giovannini G, Giroletti M, Ho PTP, Honma M, Hughes DH, Inoue M, Jiang W, Kino M, Koyama S, Lindqvist M, Liu J, Marscher AP, Matsushita S, Nagai H, Rottmann H, Savolainen T, Schuster KF, Shen ZQ, de Vicente P, Walker RC, Yang H, Zensus JA, Algaba JC, Allardi A, Bach U, Berthold R, Bintley D, Byun DY, Casadio C, Chang SH, Chang CC, Chang SC, Chen CC, Chen MT, Chilson R, Chuter TC, Conway J, Crew GB, Dempsey JT, Dornbusch S, Faber A, Friberg P, García JG, Garrido MG, Han CC, Han KC, Hasegawa Y, Herrero-Illana R, Huang YD, Huang CWL, Impellizzeri V, Jiang H, Jinchi H, Jung T, Kallunki J, Kirves P, Kimura K, Koay JY, Koch PM, Kramer C, Kraus A, Kubo D, Kuo CY, Li CT, Lin LCC, Liu CT, Liu KY, Lo WP, Lu LM, MacDonald N, Martin-Cocher P, Messias H, Meyer-Zhao Z, Minter A, Nair DG, Nishioka H, Norton TJ, Nystrom G, Ogawa H, Oshiro P, Patel NA, Pen UL, Pidopryhora Y, Pradel N, Raffin PA, Rao R, Ruiz I, Sanchez S, Shaw P, Snow W, Sridharan TK, Srinivasan R, Tercero B, Torne P, Traianou E, Wagner J, Walther C, Wei TS, Yang J, Yu CY. A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet. Nature 2023; 616:686-690. [PMID: 37100940 PMCID: PMC10132962 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-05843-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
The nearby radio galaxy M87 is a prime target for studying black hole accretion and jet formation1,2. Event Horizon Telescope observations of M87 in 2017, at a wavelength of 1.3 mm, revealed a ring-like structure, which was interpreted as gravitationally lensed emission around a central black hole3. Here we report images of M87 obtained in 2018, at a wavelength of 3.5 mm, showing that the compact radio core is spatially resolved. High-resolution imaging shows a ring-like structure of [Formula: see text] Schwarzschild radii in diameter, approximately 50% larger than that seen at 1.3 mm. The outer edge at 3.5 mm is also larger than that at 1.3 mm. This larger and thicker ring indicates a substantial contribution from the accretion flow with absorption effects, in addition to the gravitationally lensed ring-like emission. The images show that the edge-brightened jet connects to the accretion flow of the black hole. Close to the black hole, the emission profile of the jet-launching region is wider than the expected profile of a black-hole-driven jet, suggesting the possible presence of a wind associated with the accretion flow.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ru-Sen Lu
- Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Radio Astronomy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Keiichi Asada
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
| | | | - Jongho Park
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Fumie Tazaki
- Simulation Technology Development Department, Tokyo Electron Technology Solutions, Oshu, Japan
- Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Oshu, Japan
| | - Hung-Yi Pu
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Center of Astronomy and Gravitation, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Masanori Nakamura
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of General Science and Education, National Institute of Technology, Hachinohe College, Hachinohe City, Japan
| | | | - Kazuhiro Hada
- Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Oshu, Japan.
- Department of Astronomical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mitaka, Japan.
| | - Kazunori Akiyama
- Black Hole Initiative, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA, USA
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Japan
| | - Jae-Young Kim
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
- Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Department of Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Ivan Marti-Vidal
- Departament d'Astronomia i Astrofísica, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
- Observatori Astronòmic, Universitat de València, Valencia, Spain
| | - José L Gómez
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Granada, Spain
| | - Tomohisa Kawashima
- Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Feng Yuan
- Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory for Research in Galaxies and Cosmology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- School of Astronomy and Space Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Eduardo Ros
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
| | - Walter Alef
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
| | - Silke Britzen
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Bremer
- Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, Saint Martin d'Hères, France
| | - Avery E Broderick
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Waterloo Centre for Astrophysics, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
- Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Akihiro Doi
- Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Sagamihara, Japan
- Department of Space and Astronautical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Sagamihara, Japan
| | - Gabriele Giovannini
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Astronomia, Università di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Istituto di Radio Astronomia, INAF, Bologna, Italy
| | | | - Paul T P Ho
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Mareki Honma
- Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Oshu, Japan
- Department of Astronomical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mitaka, Japan
- Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - David H Hughes
- Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Puebla, Mexico
| | - Makoto Inoue
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wu Jiang
- Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Motoki Kino
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Japan
- Academic Support Center, Kogakuin University of Technology and Engineering, Hachioji, Japan
| | - Shoko Koyama
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Niigata, Japan
| | - Michael Lindqvist
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, Onsala, Sweden
| | - Jun Liu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
| | - Alan P Marscher
- Institute for Astrophysical Research, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Satoki Matsushita
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hiroshi Nagai
- Department of Astronomical Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI, Mitaka, Japan
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Mitaka, Japan
| | | | - Tuomas Savolainen
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
- Department of Electronics and Nanoengineering, Aalto University, Aalto, Finland
- Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Aalto University, Kylmälä, Finland
| | | | - Zhi-Qiang Shen
- Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Radio Astronomy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | | | | | - Hai Yang
- Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- School of Astronomy and Space Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Juan Carlos Algaba
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | | | - Uwe Bach
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
| | | | | | - Do-Young Byun
- Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- University of Science and Technology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Carolina Casadio
- Institute of Astrophysics, Foundation for Research and Technology, Heraklion, Greece
- Department of Physics, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Shu-Hao Chang
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chih-Cheng Chang
- System Development Center, National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Song-Chu Chang
- System Development Center, National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chung-Chen Chen
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ming-Tang Chen
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Ryan Chilson
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA
| | | | - John Conway
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, Onsala, Sweden
| | - Geoffrey B Crew
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA, USA
| | - Jessica T Dempsey
- East Asian Observatory, Hilo, HI, USA
- ASTRON, Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Chih-Chiang Han
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kuo-Chang Han
- System Development Center, National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yutaka Hasegawa
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
| | | | - Yau-De Huang
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chih-Wei L Huang
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Violette Impellizzeri
- Leiden Observatory, University of Leiden, Leiden, The Netherlands
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Homin Jiang
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Hao Jinchi
- Electronic Systems Research Division, National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Taehyun Jung
- Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Juha Kallunki
- Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Aalto University, Kylmälä, Finland
| | - Petri Kirves
- Metsähovi Radio Observatory, Aalto University, Kylmälä, Finland
| | | | - Jun Yi Koay
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Patrick M Koch
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Carsten Kramer
- Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, Saint Martin d'Hères, France
| | - Alex Kraus
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
| | - Derek Kubo
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Cheng-Yu Kuo
- Department of Physics, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Chao-Te Li
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Lupin Chun-Che Lin
- Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Ching-Tang Liu
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Kuan-Yu Liu
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Wen-Ping Lo
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Department of Physics, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Li-Ming Lu
- System Development Center, National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC
| | | | | | - Hugo Messias
- European Southern Observatory, Santiago, Chile
- Joint ALMA Observatory, Santiago, Chile
| | - Zheng Meyer-Zhao
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- ASTRON, Dwingeloo, The Netherlands
| | | | - Dhanya G Nair
- Astronomy Department, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Hiroaki Nishioka
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Timothy J Norton
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - George Nystrom
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Hideo Ogawa
- Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Peter Oshiro
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Nimesh A Patel
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ue-Li Pen
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Yurii Pidopryhora
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
- Argelander-Institut für Astronomie, Universität Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Nicolas Pradel
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Philippe A Raffin
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Ramprasad Rao
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ignacio Ruiz
- Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Paul Shaw
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - William Snow
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - T K Sridharan
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ranjani Srinivasan
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
- Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Pablo Torne
- Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique, Granada, Spain
| | - Efthalia Traianou
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
- Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía-CSIC, Granada, Spain
| | - Jan Wagner
- Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Ta-Shun Wei
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Chalmers University of Technology, Onsala Space Observatory, Onsala, Sweden
| | - Chen-Yu Yu
- Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC
| |
Collapse
|