Supermassive Black Hole Sings for Its Supper: Scientific American

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the discovery of sound waves emanating from a supermassive black hole in the Perseus Cluster, as reported by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. Participants explore the implications of this phenomenon, particularly in relation to the nature of black holes and their interactions with surrounding material.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that sound waves are detected from a black hole, despite the common understanding that nothing can escape a black hole's grasp, including light.
  • One participant clarifies that the sound waves are not directly emitted by the black hole but are a result of material hitting the event horizon, creating shock waves in the surrounding gas and dust.
  • Another participant suggests that there may be a point where matter can escape the black hole's influence, comparing it to images of black holes venting material.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express uncertainty regarding the mechanisms by which sound waves are produced in relation to black holes, with differing interpretations of how matter interacts with the event horizon. No consensus is reached on these points.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge the complexity of black hole physics and the limitations of their understanding, particularly regarding the nature of sound waves and the behavior of matter near the event horizon.

Ivan Seeking
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Astronomers have discovered the longest-running symphony in a cluster of galaxies more than 250 million light-years from Earth. Results from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory announced yesterday indicate sound waves are emanating from a supermassive black hole located at the center of the Perseus Cluster. It is impossible to hear the black hole's song, however, because its pitch is more than a million, billion times lower than the limit of human hearing

http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa003&articleID=0009748F-3954-1F5E-905980A84189EEDF
 
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I'm not in any way qualified to comment on black holes, but it was my understanding that nothing could escape its grasp, including light. (hence the black hole) So what gives, how can it emanate sound waves?
 
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The Hole is not emananting souds waves per se. Material hitting the event horizon does so with enormous energy, some of that causes huge shock waves in surrounding gas/dust. This is what Chandra is seeing.
 
This wave is coming from the edge of the black hole? So there is a point where matter can escape. This must be similar to the images of a black hole venting. The force of the excess matter being shifted aside must be greater then the force drawing the rest in.
 

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