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Cold, clumpy accretion onto an active supermassive black hole

Author

Listed:
  • Grant R. Tremblay

    (Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale University
    European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2)

  • J. B. Raymond Oonk

    (ASTRON, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy
    Leiden Observatory, Leiden University, Niels Borhweg 2)

  • Françoise Combes

    (Laboratory for Studies of Radiation and Matter in Astrophysics and Atmospheres (LERMA), Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, College de France, CNRS, Sorbonne University)

  • Philippe Salomé

    (Laboratory for Studies of Radiation and Matter in Astrophysics and Atmospheres (LERMA), Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, College de France, CNRS, Sorbonne University)

  • Christopher P. O’Dea

    (University of Manitoba
    School of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester Institute of Technology)

  • Stefi A. Baum

    (University of Manitoba
    Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science, Rochester Institute of Technology)

  • G. Mark Voit

    (Michigan State University)

  • Megan Donahue

    (Michigan State University)

  • Brian R. McNamara

    (Waterloo University)

  • Timothy A. Davis

    (European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2
    School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University)

  • Michael A. McDonald

    (Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Alastair C. Edge

    (Durham University)

  • Tracy E. Clarke

    (Code 7213)

  • Roberto Galván-Madrid

    (European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild-Strasse 2
    Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, UNAM, Apartado Postal 3-72 (Xangari))

  • Malcolm N. Bremer

    (H. W. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol)

  • Louise O. V. Edwards

    (Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale University)

  • Andrew C. Fabian

    (Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University)

  • Stephen Hamer

    (Laboratory for Studies of Radiation and Matter in Astrophysics and Atmospheres (LERMA), Observatoire de Paris, PSL Research University, College de France, CNRS, Sorbonne University)

  • Yuan Li

    (University of Michigan)

  • Anaëlle Maury

    (Laboratoire AIM-Paris-Saclay, CEA/DSM/Irfu CNRS—Université Paris Diderot)

  • Helen R. Russell

    (Institute of Astronomy, Cambridge University)

  • Alice C. Quillen

    (University of Rochester)

  • C. Megan Urry

    (Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Yale University)

  • Jeremy S. Sanders

    (Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik)

  • Michael W. Wise

    (ASTRON, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy)

Abstract

The so-called accretion flow that powers the growth of supermassive black holes in galaxy centres is assumed to be dominated by a smooth, steady flow of very hot plasma, but now observations instead reveal a clumpy accretion of very cold molecular clouds onto a supermassive black hole in the nucleus of a nearby giant elliptical galaxy.

Suggested Citation

  • Grant R. Tremblay & J. B. Raymond Oonk & Françoise Combes & Philippe Salomé & Christopher P. O’Dea & Stefi A. Baum & G. Mark Voit & Megan Donahue & Brian R. McNamara & Timothy A. Davis & Michael A. Mc, 2016. "Cold, clumpy accretion onto an active supermassive black hole," Nature, Nature, vol. 534(7606), pages 218-221, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:534:y:2016:i:7606:d:10.1038_nature17969
    DOI: 10.1038/nature17969
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