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Radio imaging of the very-high-energy gamma-ray emission region in the central engine of a radio galaxy.
- Source :
-
Science (New York, N.Y.) [Science] 2009 Jul 24; Vol. 325 (5939), pp. 444-8. Date of Electronic Publication: 2009 Jul 02. - Publication Year :
- 2009
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Abstract
- The accretion of matter onto a massive black hole is believed to feed the relativistic plasma jets found in many active galactic nuclei (AGN). Although some AGN accelerate particles to energies exceeding 10(12) electron volts and are bright sources of very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray emission, it is not yet known where the VHE emission originates. Here we report on radio and VHE observations of the radio galaxy Messier 87, revealing a period of extremely strong VHE gamma-ray flares accompanied by a strong increase of the radio flux from its nucleus. These results imply that charged particles are accelerated to very high energies in the immediate vicinity of the black hole.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1095-9203
- Volume :
- 325
- Issue :
- 5939
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Science (New York, N.Y.)
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 19574351
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1175406