Established in 2020 Wednesday, March 27, 2024


Independent reanalysis of the M87 galactic center radio observational data
Radio images obtained from the reanalysis, showing the center of the elliptical galaxy M87. Image courtesy: Miyoshi et al.



TOKYO.- An independent reanalysis of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)’s observational data for the center of the elliptical galaxy M87 has produced images with different features, according to a new study. This study is part of the research process in modern science, in which observational data and analysis methods are open to the public and reviewed and discussed in various communities of researchers to produce more credible results.

The radio observational data for the center of the elliptical galaxy M87 that were obtained by the Event Horizon Telescope in April 2017 and the methods by which the data were analyzed have been accessible to the public worldwide. Researchers not involved in the EHT have been independently reanalyzing these data and methods, thereby validating the results presented by the EHT. In fact, various teams have published their detailed reanalysis results in research papers.

A research team consisting of Makoto Miyoshi (Assistant Professor at NAOJ), Yoshiaki Kato (Contract Researcher at RIKEN at the time of the study), and Junichiro Makino (Professor at Kobe University) reanalyzed the M87 data with standard tools and investigated the nature of the data. Instead of the ring structure observed by the EHT, the resultant images show a “core” at the galactic center, in addition to the astrophysical jet extending from the core and “knots” apparently forming part of the jet. Many supermassive black holes emit astrophysical jets; the one extending from the center of M87 has been known for more than 100 years, having been studied on many occasions. The research team believes that it is the base of this jet that their analysis has resolved. The team points out that the 40-micro-arcsecond (1/25,000th of an arcsecond) ring structure seen in the EHT image is likely a result of the lack of sufficient data to resolve 40 micro-arcsecond structures, as compared to the data for the structures of other sizes, because of the fewer number of telescopes involved in the EHT observations at that time.

This study demonstrates the importance of the sensible, normal process that modern science should follow, with independent research teams reviewing observational data and analysis methods. Further data reanalysis, method examination, and planned follow-up observations are expected to provide more credible insights into M87’s center and the structure of the jet blasting out from the galactic center.

The study will appear as Miyoshi M. et al. “The Jet and Resolved Features of the Central Supermassive Black Hole of M87 Observed with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)” in the Astrophysical Journal on June 30, 2022.







Today's News

July 1, 2022

Ice Age wolf DNA reveals dogs trace ancestry to two separate wolf populations

Pandas gave bamboo the thumbs up at least six million years ago

Researchers uncover new pathway for accumulation of age-promoting 'zombie cells'

The art of getting DNA out of decades-old pickled snakes

Monitoring COVID-19: Could medicine found in wastewater provide an early warning?

Independent reanalysis of the M87 galactic center radio observational data

Off-the-shelf blood sugar monitors prove accurate for dialysis patients

Rapid seed dispersal by hornets facilitates reproduction of agarwood plants

Could carbon monoxide foam help fight inflammation?

Fresh hope for new flystrike control method

Solving renewable energy challenges with a new kind of nontoxic battery

Tonga volcano eruption was among the most powerful ever observed, triggering atmospheric gravity waves

Körber European Science Prize 2022 for Anthony Hyman

Cooking up a conductive alternative to copper with aluminum

A giant black hole that spins slower than its peers

A glucose meter could soon say whether you have SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

New health research suggests novel combination therapy for triple-negative breast cancer

Study suggests two million ancient and veteran trees in England - ten times as many as previously recorded



 


Editor & Publisher: Jose Villarreal
Art Director: Juan José Sepúlveda Ramírez



Tell a Friend
Dear User, please complete the form below in order to recommend the ResearchNews newsletter to someone you know.
Please complete all fields marked *.
Sending Mail
Sending Successful