Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87

doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06479-6

. 2023 Sep;621(7980):711-715.

doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06479-6. Epub 2023 Sep 27.

Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87

Yuzhu Cui^{1

2

3

4}, Kazuhiro Hada^{5

6}, Tomohisa Kawashima⁷, Motoki Kino^{6

8}, Weikang Lin⁹, Yosuke Mizuno^{10

11

12}, Hyunwook Ro^{13

14}, Mareki Honma^{6

15}, Kunwoo Yi¹⁶, Jintao Yu¹⁷, Jongho Park^{13

18}, Wu Jiang^{19

20}, Zhiqiang Shen^{19

20}, Evgeniya Kravchenko, Juan-Carlos Algaba²¹, Xiaopeng Cheng¹³, Ilje Cho^{13

22}, Gabriele Giovannini^{23

24}, Marcello Giroletti²⁴, Taehyun Jung^{13

25}, Ru-Sen Lu^{19

20

26}, Kotaro Niinuma^{27

28}, Junghwan Oh²⁹, Ken Ohsuga³⁰, Satoko Sawada-Satoh³¹, Bong Won Sohn^{13

14

25}, Hiroyuki R Takahashi³², Mieko Takamura^{6

15}, Fumie Tazaki³³, Sascha Trippe^{16

34}, Kiyoaki Wajima^{13

25}, Kazunori Akiyama^{35

36

37}, Tao An¹⁹, Keiichi Asada¹⁸, Salvatore Buttaccio²⁴, Do-Young Byun^{13

25}, Lang Cui^{20

38}, Yoshiaki Hagiwara³⁹, Tomoya Hirota^{5

6}, Jeffrey Hodgson⁴⁰, Noriyuki Kawaguchi⁶, Jae-Young Kim^{26

41}, Sang-Sung Lee^{13

25}, Jee Won Lee¹³, Jeong Ae Lee¹³, Giuseppe Maccaferri²⁴, Andrea Melis⁴², Alexey Melnikov⁴³, Carlo Migoni⁴², Se-Jin Oh¹³, Koichiro Sugiyama⁴⁴, Xuezheng Wang¹⁹, Yingkang Zhang¹⁹, Zhong Chen^{19

20}, Ju-Yeon Hwang¹³, Dong-Kyu Jung¹³, Hyo-Ryoung Kim¹³, Jeong-Sook Kim^{13

45}, Hideyuki Kobayashi⁵, Bin Li^{19

20}, Guanghui Li³⁸, Xiaofei Li³⁸, Zhiyong Liu³⁸, Qinghui Liu^{19

20}, Xiang Liu³⁸, Chung-Sik Oh¹³, Tomoaki Oyama⁶, Duk-Gyoo Roh¹³, Jinqing Wang^{19

20}, Na Wang^{20

38}, Shiqiang Wang³⁸, Bo Xia¹⁹, Hao Yan³⁸, Jae-Hwan Yeom¹³, Yoshinori Yonekura⁴⁶, Jianping Yuan³⁸, Hua Zhang³⁸, Rongbing Zhao^{19

20}, Weiye Zhong^{19

20}

Affiliations

¹ Research Center for Intelligent Computing Platforms, Zhejiang Laboratory, Hangzhou, China. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
² Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
³ Astronomical Science Program, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Mitaka, Japan. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
⁴ Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Oshu, Japan. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
⁵ Astronomical Science Program, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Mitaka, Japan.
⁶ Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Oshu, Japan.
⁷ Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
⁸ Kogakuin University of Technology & Engineering, Academic Support Center, Hachioji, Japan.
⁹ South-Western Institute For Astronomy Research, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
¹⁰ Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
¹¹ School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
¹² Institut für Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
¹³ Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
¹⁴ Department of Astronomy, Yonsei University, Seodaemun-gu, Republic of Korea.
¹⁵ Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan.
¹⁶ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Republic of Korea.
¹⁷ Department of Intelligence, Air Force Early Warning Academy, Wuhan, China.
¹⁸ Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA.
¹⁹ Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
²⁰ Key Laboratory of Radio Astronomy and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
²¹ Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
²² Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, Granada, Spain.
²³ DIFA Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
²⁴ INAF-Istituto di Radioastronomia, Bologna, Italy.
²⁵ University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Republic of Korea.
²⁶ Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany.
²⁷ Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan.
²⁸ The Research Institute for Time Studies, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan.
²⁹ Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC, Dwingeloo, the Netherlands.
³⁰ Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
³¹ Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Japan.
³² Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Komazawa University, Setagaya, Japan.
³³ Tokyo Electron Technology Solutions Limited, Oshu City, Japan.
³⁴ SNU Astronomy Research Center, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Republic of Korea.
³⁵ National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
³⁶ Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA, USA.
³⁷ Black Hole Initiative at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
³⁸ Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.
³⁹ Toyo University, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
⁴⁰ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Sejong University, Gwangjin-gu, Republic of Korea.
⁴¹ Department of Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
⁴² INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Selargius, CA, Italy.
⁴³ Institute of Applied Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
⁴⁴ National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Public Organization), Chiangmai, Thailand.
⁴⁵ National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁴⁶ Center for Astronomy, Ibaraki University, Mito, Japan.

PMID: 37758892
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06479-6

Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87

Yuzhu Cui et al. Nature. 2023 Sep.

. 2023 Sep;621(7980):711-715.

doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06479-6. Epub 2023 Sep 27.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Research Center for Intelligent Computing Platforms, Zhejiang Laboratory, Hangzhou, China. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
² Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
³ Astronomical Science Program, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Mitaka, Japan. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
⁴ Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Oshu, Japan. yuzhu_cui77@163.com.
⁵ Astronomical Science Program, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Mitaka, Japan.
⁶ Mizusawa VLBI Observatory, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Oshu, Japan.
⁷ Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan.
⁸ Kogakuin University of Technology & Engineering, Academic Support Center, Hachioji, Japan.
⁹ South-Western Institute For Astronomy Research, Yunnan University, Kunming, China.
¹⁰ Tsung-Dao Lee Institute, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
¹¹ School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
¹² Institut für Theoretische Physik, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
¹³ Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute, Daejeon, Republic of Korea.
¹⁴ Department of Astronomy, Yonsei University, Seodaemun-gu, Republic of Korea.
¹⁵ Department of Astronomy, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Japan.
¹⁶ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Republic of Korea.
¹⁷ Department of Intelligence, Air Force Early Warning Academy, Wuhan, China.
¹⁸ Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Hilo, HI, USA.
¹⁹ Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
²⁰ Key Laboratory of Radio Astronomy and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
²¹ Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
²² Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía s/n, Granada, Spain.
²³ DIFA Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
²⁴ INAF-Istituto di Radioastronomia, Bologna, Italy.
²⁵ University of Science and Technology, Yuseong-gu, Republic of Korea.
²⁶ Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, Bonn, Germany.
²⁷ Graduate School of Sciences and Technology for Innovation, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan.
²⁸ The Research Institute for Time Studies, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan.
²⁹ Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC, Dwingeloo, the Netherlands.
³⁰ Center for Computational Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan.
³¹ Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, Sakai, Japan.
³² Department of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Komazawa University, Setagaya, Japan.
³³ Tokyo Electron Technology Solutions Limited, Oshu City, Japan.
³⁴ SNU Astronomy Research Center, Seoul National University, Gwanak-gu, Republic of Korea.
³⁵ National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
³⁶ Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory, Westford, MA, USA.
³⁷ Black Hole Initiative at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
³⁸ Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi, China.
³⁹ Toyo University, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
⁴⁰ Department of Physics and Astronomy, Sejong University, Gwangjin-gu, Republic of Korea.
⁴¹ Department of Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
⁴² INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Cagliari, Selargius, CA, Italy.
⁴³ Institute of Applied Astronomy, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
⁴⁴ National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (Public Organization), Chiangmai, Thailand.
⁴⁵ National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
⁴⁶ Center for Astronomy, Ibaraki University, Mito, Japan.

PMID: 37758892
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06479-6

Abstract

The nearby radio galaxy M87 offers a unique opportunity to explore the connections between the central supermassive black hole and relativistic jets. Previous studies of the inner region of M87 revealed a wide opening angle for the jet originating near the black hole^1-4. The Event Horizon Telescope resolved the central radio source and found an asymmetric ring structure consistent with expectations from general relativity⁵. With a baseline of 17 years of observations, there was a shift in the jet's transverse position, possibly arising from an 8- to 10-year quasi-periodicity³. However, the origin of this sideways shift remains unclear. Here we report an analysis of radio observations over 22 years that suggests a period of about 11 years for the variation in the position angle of the jet. We infer that we are seeing a spinning black hole that induces the Lense-Thirring precession of a misaligned accretion disk. Similar jet precession may commonly occur in other active galactic nuclei but has been challenging to detect owing to the small magnitude and long period of the variation.

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References

1. Junor, W., Biretta, J. A. & Livio, M. Formation of the radio jet in M87 at 100 Schwarzschild radii from the central black hole. Nature 401, 891–892 (1999).
1. Hada, K. et al. An origin of the radio jet in M87 at the location of the central black hole. Nature 477, 185–187 (2011). - PubMed
1. Walker, R. C., Hardee, P. E., Davies, F. B., Ly, C. & Junor, W. The structure and dynamics of the subparsec jet in M87 based on 50 VLBA observations over 17 years at 43 GHz. Astrophys. J. 855, 128 (2018).
1. Lu, R. et al. A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet. Nature 616, 686–690 (2023). - PubMed - PMC
1. Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. First M87 Event Horizon Telescope results. I. The shadow of the supermassive black hole. Astrophys. J. Lett. 875, L1 (2019).

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[1] Junor, W., Biretta, J. A. & Livio, M. Formation of the radio jet in M87 at 100 Schwarzschild radii from the central black hole. Nature 401, 891–892 (1999).

[2] Junor, W., Biretta, J. A. & Livio, M. Formation of the radio jet in M87 at 100 Schwarzschild radii from the central black hole. Nature 401, 891–892 (1999).

[3] Hada, K. et al. An origin of the radio jet in M87 at the location of the central black hole. Nature 477, 185–187 (2011). - PubMed

[4] Hada, K. et al. An origin of the radio jet in M87 at the location of the central black hole. Nature 477, 185–187 (2011). - PubMed

[5] Walker, R. C., Hardee, P. E., Davies, F. B., Ly, C. & Junor, W. The structure and dynamics of the subparsec jet in M87 based on 50 VLBA observations over 17 years at 43 GHz. Astrophys. J. 855, 128 (2018).

[6] Walker, R. C., Hardee, P. E., Davies, F. B., Ly, C. & Junor, W. The structure and dynamics of the subparsec jet in M87 based on 50 VLBA observations over 17 years at 43 GHz. Astrophys. J. 855, 128 (2018).

[7] Lu, R. et al. A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet. Nature 616, 686–690 (2023). - PubMed - PMC

[8] Lu, R. et al. A ring-like accretion structure in M87 connecting its black hole and jet. Nature 616, 686–690 (2023). - PubMed - PMC

[9] Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. First M87 Event Horizon Telescope results. I. The shadow of the supermassive black hole. Astrophys. J. Lett. 875, L1 (2019).

[10] Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. First M87 Event Horizon Telescope results. I. The shadow of the supermassive black hole. Astrophys. J. Lett. 875, L1 (2019).

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Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87

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Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87

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