Scientists have discovered that the ultra-fast winds emanating from the surroundings of supermassive black holes are not smooth streams, as previously thought, but are instead made up of distinct flows resembling “gas bullets.” The breakthrough, made using Japan’s XRISM X-ray telescope and published in Nature, revealed at least five separate components moving at different speeds.
The international research team, including JAXA and Professor Christine Done of Durham University, focused on galaxy PDS 456—one of the closest galaxies with an actively feeding supermassive black hole. Winds from this region reach speeds of up to 30% the speed of light and were found to carry energy a thousand times greater than earlier estimates.
These findings fundamentally alter our understanding of black holes’ role in galaxy formation and evolution. Such powerful winds are believed to suppress star formation and regulate the growth of both the black holes and their host galaxies. The new data suggest that black holes have a far more intense and complex impact on their surroundings than previously assumed.
By revealing the fragmented nature of these winds, the discovery opens new avenues for research and offers deeper insight into how black holes have shaped their galactic environments over billions of years.
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