‘120,000 simulations later’: Event Horizon Telescope finds a black hole that won’t sit still

Produced by: Manoj Kumar

Rotational Clues

M87*’s rotational axis points away from Earth, confirmed by multi-year Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) data. The orientation impacts how its luminous ring is observed.

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Turbulent Disk

The accretion disk’s turbulence caused a 30-degree shift in the ring’s brightest region, validating prior predictions about black hole dynamics.

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Dynamic Evolution

EHT data from 2017 and 2018 reveal that M87*’s turbulent environment evolves over time, offering a rare glimpse into black hole behavior.

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Ring Consistency

The black hole’s luminous ring, captured in 2017, remained stable in size at 43 microarcseconds in 2018, consistent with theoretical models.

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Simulation Library

Researchers expanded their image simulation library to over 120,000 models, enabling precise analysis of black hole accretion dynamics.

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Plasma Insights

The plasma around M87* reveals a counter-rotating gas flow, adding new depth to our understanding of accretion variability near black holes.

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Cosmic Alignment

The bottom-bright ring suggests M87* spins in a direction aligned opposite to the gas flow, revealing new cosmic alignment mysteries.

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Theoretical Breakthroughs

The study advances black hole theories, confirming predictions about their accretion flow and turbulent nature through enhanced observations.

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Future Data

Analysis of 2021 and 2022 data promises deeper insights, with more robust models expected to refine our understanding of M87*’s turbulent environment.

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