What are the jets from a feeding blackhole made of?

In summary, the traditional image of a black hole includes jets spewing from its poles at almost the speed of light. However, it is unclear whether these jets are made of matter or energy. Some experts suggest that they are made of highly ionized gas, but the exact composition of the jets remains a mystery.
  • #1
Lino
309
4
Hi all, The traditional image of a "feeding" black hole has jets spewing from either pole of the axis of rotation. I know that these jets are accellerated to almost the speed of c, but I have been unable to determine if these jets are of mater / particles or energy. Could you tell me which (mater or energy) the jet are made of?

Thanking you in anticipation.

Regards,

Noel.
 
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  • #2
electromagnetic radiation, and therefore they do travel at the speed c, since visible light is a form of electromagnetic radiation
 
  • #3
Thanks FOIWATER. But why is it described as "accelerated" to the speed of light - doesn't that imply that at a point in time after leaving the black hole it was traveling at less than c. And if so, how does EM radiation travel at less than c?

Regards,

Noel.
 
  • #4
Lino said:
Hi all, The traditional image of a "feeding" black hole has jets spewing from either pole of the axis of rotation. I know that these jets are accellerated to almost the speed of c, but I have been unable to determine if these jets are of mater / particles or energy. Could you tell me which (mater or energy) the jet are made of?

Jets are made of highly ionized gas.

One other thing is that jets are even more of a mystery than black holes.
 
  • #5
Thanks twofish.

Regards,

Noel.
 

1. What exactly are the jets from a feeding black hole?

The jets from a feeding black hole are highly energetic streams of particles that are propelled outwards from the vicinity of the black hole at nearly the speed of light.

2. How are these jets formed?

These jets are formed when matter from the accretion disk around the black hole is ejected along its magnetic field lines, creating powerful electromagnetic forces that accelerate particles to high speeds.

3. What are these jets made of?

The jets from a feeding black hole are composed of a mix of high-energy particles, such as electrons, protons, and other subatomic particles, along with magnetic fields.

4. How far do these jets extend?

The length of these jets can vary greatly, but they can extend for millions of light-years from the black hole, as seen in some active galaxies.

5. Why are these jets important to study?

Studying the jets from feeding black holes can provide valuable insights into the physical processes that occur near the event horizon of a black hole, as well as the role of black holes in the formation and evolution of galaxies. Additionally, the powerful energy released by these jets can influence the surrounding environment and play a significant role in the evolution of galaxies and galaxy clusters.

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