Scientists from India and France have made a groundbreaking discovery by developing a new technique to search for closely merging supermassive black holes. This technique could provide insights into the future collision of neighboring galaxies, such as the Milky Way and Andromeda. With the support of the Department of Science and Technology, the researchers aimed to study collisions between galaxies to predict uncertain outcomes, like the survival of our solar system or its destruction due to the violent mixing of stars and gas during collisions.
Closely merging galaxies, which are necessary for such studies, are extremely rare. However, the team created an algorithm that has led to the discovery of thousands of double-nuclei galaxies, in which the nuclei of individual galaxies come closer to each other during the merging process. Out of the thousands of identified galaxies, 159 were confirmed to have pairs of accreting supermassive black holes or active galactic nuclei (AGN).
To detect these merging galaxies, the team developed a specialized image processing technique called GOTHIC, which utilizes data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). By visually resembling the galaxy MRK 739, one of the earliest detected dual AGN, GOTHIC can automatically identify similar galaxies. Due to the limited sample size of known double nuclei galaxies, the researchers had to resort to traditional image processing techniques, manually filtering out the rare events from a random sample of 1 million galaxy images.
Although the process was time-consuming and required the download of terabytes of image data, the researchers found it worth the effort. The discovery of these merging black holes provides valuable insights into the behavior of galaxies when they collide, allowing scientists to better understand the fate of our own solar system.
The findings contribute to the field of astronomy and have the potential to enhance our understanding of the universe and its future. By predicting the outcomes of galaxy collisions, scientists can gain valuable knowledge about the behavior and survival prospects of celestial bodies. As the scientists continue their research, their diligent work sheds light on the mysteries of the cosmos and expands our knowledge of the galactic realm.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Related to the Above News
What is the significance of the recent discovery made by scientists from India and France?
The recent discovery made by scientists from India and France is significant because they have developed a new technique to search for closely merging supermassive black holes. This technique could provide insights into the future collision of neighboring galaxies, such as the Milky Way and Andromeda.
How did the researchers identify these merging galaxies?
The researchers developed a specialized image processing technique called GOTHIC, which utilized data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. GOTHIC can automatically identify galaxies that visually resemble the galaxy MRK 739, one of the earliest detected dual active galactic nuclei (AGN).
How rare are closely merging galaxies?
Closely merging galaxies, which are necessary for studying galaxy collisions, are extremely rare.
How many double-nuclei galaxies were identified through this new technique?
Out of the thousands of identified galaxies using the GOTHIC algorithm, 159 were confirmed to have pairs of accreting supermassive black holes or active galactic nuclei (AGN).
Why did the researchers have to resort to traditional image processing techniques?
The researchers had to resort to traditional image processing techniques because the sample size of known double nuclei galaxies was limited. They manually filtered out the rare events from a random sample of 1 million galaxy images.
Why did the researchers consider this time-consuming process worth the effort?
The discovery of merging black holes provides valuable insights into the behavior of galaxies during collisions, which in turn allows scientists to better understand the fate of our own solar system.
How can predicting the outcomes of galaxy collisions benefit scientists?
Predicting the outcomes of galaxy collisions can provide valuable knowledge about the behavior and survival prospects of celestial bodies. This can enhance our understanding of the universe and its future.
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