James Webb Space Telescope catches monster black hole napping after 'overeating' in the early universe

Dec 19, 2024

JWST finds a 400M solar mass black hole napping 800M years post-Big Bang.

James Webb Space Telescope catches monster black hole napping after 'overeating' in the early universe

: Using the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have identified a dormant supermassive black hole with a mass 400 million times that of the sun, located 800 million years after the Big Bang. Unlike typical massive black holes that actively feed, this one is consuming nutrient gas at only 1% of its maximum capacity. The researchers believe these black holes could engage in brief periods of rapid growth, exceeding the Eddington limit, followed by long dormant phases lasting up to 100 million years. This discovery offers insights into the rapid formation of such celestial giants in the early universe.

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope detected an extraordinary dormant supermassive black hole in the early universe, merely 800 million years after the Big Bang. With a staggering mass of 400 million times the sun, the black hole challenges current astrophysical theories by accounting for 40% of its host galaxy's mass, as opposed to the usual 0.1% ratio observed in the local universe.

Typically, such gigantic black holes experience intense accretion, but this particular one seems to be in a state of minimal feeding, consuming only about 1% of the maximum allowed rate. Researchers, including Ignas Juodžbalis and Roberto Maiolino from the Kavli Institute, propose that these early black holes might go through sporadic intense growth phases, or 'super-Eddington accretion,' allowing them to rapidly gain mass before entering extended dormancy.

These periodic feeding frenzies last up to 10 million years, granting rapid growth, but are followed by long dormancy periods up to 100 million years. The discovery indicates that many early supermassive black holes may undergo similar cycles of explosive growth and rest, making them difficult to detect when in their inactive states. This finding suggests the early universe was possibly filled with such sleeping celestial giants, providing valuable insights into their evolution.