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Cited by 146Astrophysical Phenomena and ObservationsAstrophysics and Cosmic PhenomenaAstrophysics and Star Formation Studies

Inflation of 430-parsec bipolar radio bubbles in the Galactic Centre by an energetic event

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Heywood, I., Camilo, F., Cotton, W. D., Yusef-Zadeh, F., Abbott, T. D., Adam, R. M., Aldera, M. A., Bauermeister, E. F. +91 more·2019·Nature
DOI 10.1038/s41586-019-1532-5
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Abstract

The Galactic Centre contains a supermassive black hole with a mass of four million Suns 1 within an environment that differs markedly from that of the Galactic disk. Although the black hole is essentially quiescent in the broader context of active galactic nuclei, X-ray observations have provided evidence for energetic outbursts from its surroundings 2. Also, although the levels of star formation in the Galactic Centre have been approximately constant over the past few hundred million years, there is evidence of increased short-duration bursts 3, strongly influenced by the interaction of the black hole with the enhanced gas density present within the ring-like central molecular zone 4 at Galactic longitude |l| < 0.7 degrees and latitude |b| < 0.2 degrees. The inner 200-parsec region is characterized by large amounts of warm molecular gas 5, a high cosmic-ray ionization rate 6, unusual gas chemistry, enhanced synchrotron emission 7,8, and a multitude of radio-emitting magnetized filaments 9, the origin of which has not been established. Here we report radio imaging that reveals a bipolar bubble structure, with an overall span of 1 degree by 3 degrees (140 parsecs × 430 parsecs), extending above and below the Galactic plane and apparently associated with the Galactic Centre. The structure is edge-brightened and bounded, with symmetry implying creation by an energetic event in the Galactic Centre. We estimate the age of the bubbles to be a few million years, with a total energy of 7 × 10 52 ergs. We postulate that the progenitor event was a major contributor to the increased cosmic-ray density in the Galactic Centre, and is in turn the principal source of the relativistic particles required to power the synchrotron emission of the radio filaments within and in the vicinity of the bubble cavities.

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  • A significant part of the cosmic-ray electrons in the radio bubbles must be accelerated in situ.

    “This implies that a significant part of the CRelectrons must be accelerated in-situ , which further proposes that the radio loops possibly indicate the location of shocks expanding from the GC.”

    From The Fermi/eROSITA bubbles: a look into the nuclear outflow from the Milky Way (2024) · cites this paper as Heywood et al. 2019

    The main text (p. 2) says that shocks from the initiating event are likely to accelerate relativistic electrons and will continue to accelerate fresh radiating electrons. The Methods (p. 16) also notes that electrons may be re-accelerated. These passages support ongoing acceleration, but do not establish that a significant fraction of the bubbles’ cosmic-ray electrons must be accelerated in situ. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Authors
Heywood, I., Camilo, F., Cotton, W. D., Yusef-Zadeh, F., Abbott, T. D., Adam, R. M., Aldera, M. A., Bauermeister, E. F., Booth, R. S., Botha, A. G., Botha, D. H., Brederode, L. R. S., Brits, Z. B., Buchner, S. J., Burger, J. P., Chalmers, J. M., Cheetham, T., de Villiers, D., Dikgale-Mahlakoana, M. A., du Toit, L. J., Esterhuyse, S. W. P., Fanaroff, B. L., Foley, A. R., Fourie, D. J., Gamatham, R. R. G., Goedhart, S., Gounden, S., Hlakola, M. J., Hoek, C. J., Hokwana, A., Horn, D. M., Horrell, J. M. G., Hugo, B., Isaacson, A. R., Jonas, J. L., Jordaan, J. D. B. L., Joubert, A. F., Józsa, G. I. G., Julie, R. P. M., Kapp, F. B., Kenyon, J. S., Kotzé, P. P. A., Kriel, H., Kusel, T. W., Lehmensiek, R., Liebenberg, D., Loots, A., Lord, R. T., Lunsky, B. M., Macfarlane, P. S., Magnus, L. G., Magozore, C. M., Mahgoub, O., Main, J. P. L., Malan, J. A., Malgas, R. D., Manley, J. R., Maree, M. D. J., Merry, B., Millenaar, R., Mnyandu, N., Moeng, I. P. T., Monama, T. E., Mphego, M. C., New, W. S., Ngcebetsha, B., Oozeer, N., Otto, A. J., Passmoor, S. S., Patel, A. A., Peens-Hough, A., Perkins, S. J., Ratcliffe, S. M., Renil, R., Rust, A., Salie, S., Schwardt, L. C., Serylak, M., Siebrits, R., Sirothia, S. K., Smirnov, O. M., Sofeya, L., Swart, P. S., Tasse, C., Taylor, D. T., Theron, I. P., Thorat, K., Tiplady, A. J., Tshongweni, S., van Balla, T. J., van der Byl, A., van der Merwe, C., van Dyk, C. L., Van Rooyen, R., Van Tonder, V., Van Wyk, R., Wallace, B. H., Welz, M. G., & Williams, L. P.
Affiliations
  • Rhodes University (ZA)
  • South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (ZA)
  • National Radio Astronomy Observatory (US)
  • Northwestern University (US)
  • Chalmers University of Technology (SE)
  • SKA Observatory (GB)
  • University of Cape Town (ZA)
  • Cape Peninsula University of Technology (ZA)
  • African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (ZA)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
Corresponding author
  • Heywood, I.
  • Camilo, F.
ORCID
Venue
Nature
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2019-09-11
Volume
573
Issue
7773
Pages
235-237
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
DOI
10.1038/s41586-019-1532-5
OpenAlex
W2972563556
Cited by
146
References
43
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 26 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 7
FWCI
11.48
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • Chalmers Research (Chalmers University of Technology) (submittedVersion)
  • arXiv (Cornell University)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies
Keywords
Galactic Center, supermassive black holes, Sgr A*, cosmic ray acceleration, synchrotron radiation, radio filaments, Central Molecular Zone, relativistic particles

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