A Highly Magnetized Twin-Jet Base Pinpoints a Supermassive Black Hole
A.-K. Baczko, R. Schulz, M. Kadler, E. Ros, M. Perucho, T.P., Krichbaum, M. B\"ock, M. Bremer, C. Grossberger, M. Lindqvist, A.P. Lobanov,, K. Mannheim, I. Mart\'i-Vidal, C. M\"uller, J. Wilms, J.A. Zensus
TL;DR
This study images the supermassive black hole in NGC1052, revealing magnetic fields consistent with theoretical models that explain jet production in active galactic nuclei.
Contribution
It provides direct measurements of magnetic fields near a SMBH, supporting Blandford & Znajek jet-launching models.
Findings
Magnetic field at 1 Schwarzschild radius between 200 G and 80,000 G.
Imaging of the SMBH's vicinity smaller than 1.9 light days.
Supports the role of magnetic fields in jet formation.
Abstract
Supermassive black holes (SMBH) are essential for the production of jets in radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGN). Theoretical models based on Blandford & Znajek extract the rotational energy from a Kerr black hole, which could be the case for NGC1052, to launch these jets. This requires magnetic fields of the order of G to G. We imaged the vicinity of the SMBH of the AGN NGC1052 with the Global Millimetre VLBI Array and found a bright and compact central feature, smaller than 1.9 light days (100 Schwarzschild radii) in radius. Interpreting this as a blend of the unresolved jet bases, we derive the magnetic field at 1 Schwarzschild radius to lie between 200 G and ~80000 G consistent with Blandford & Znajek models.
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