A colossal interstellar entity resembling the Eye of Sauron from Middle Earth literature was captured in a remarkable time-lapse photograph over a span of 15 years.
In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have managed to visualise the magnetic fields within the energy jet of a distant blazar, PKS 1424+240, nicknamed the "Eye of Sauron". This celestial phenomenon, billions of light-years away from Earth, bears a striking resemblance to the symbol of a fictional entity from J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" series.
PKS 1424+240 is a type of quasar, specifically a blazar. These celestial objects are supermassive black holes at the heart of distant galaxies that shoot out gigantic energy jets into space. The new image of PKS 1424+240 was made possible by its near-perfect alignment with Earth, which amplifies its high-energy emissions due to the effects of special relativity.
The magnetic field of the blazar's jet plays a crucial role in this process. It contributes to neutrino production by creating a structured, spiral (toroidal) magnetic environment that accelerates protons to very high energies. These energetic protons then interact with photons, producing neutrinos along with very-high-energy gamma rays. The magnetic field acts like a "spring," focusing and energizing particles within the jet.
This spiral/toroidal magnetic field structure, revealed through radio observations, provides a stable environment for particle acceleration. The magnetic configuration can accelerate protons to relativistic energies either near the central black hole or at the interface between fast jet components and slower sheath regions. The high-energy protons collide with ambient photons (pγ interactions), producing pions that decay into neutrinos. This mechanism aligns with models explaining neutrino emission at TeV–PeV energies.
The jet's orientation and relativistic boosting also play a significant role. Because PKS 1424+240’s jet points almost directly toward Earth (within less than half a degree), relativistic beaming vastly enhances the observed neutrino (and gamma-ray) flux. This geometry also explains why the jet looks slow-moving in radio images despite being highly relativistic.
The new image of PKS 1424+240 has shed light on the mysterious origin of neutrinos, ghostly particles that rarely interact with other matter. Neutrinos, also known as "ghost particles," are superfast, high-energy subatomic particles that experts predict trillions pass through our bodies every second. The neutrinos emitted by PKS 1424+240 are the brightest known from any blazar.
The study revealing the first clear image of PKS 1424+240 was published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics on Aug. 12. This discovery not only provides insight into the workings of blazars but also offers a unique opportunity to understand the production of high-energy neutrinos in the universe. Further observations of similar jets are needed to unravel the mechanism of how this happens.
In essence, visualising the magnetic field controlling the jet of PKS 1424+240 has helped scientists see into its "heart," offering a glimpse into the mysterious origin of neutrinos and the inner workings of these enigmatic celestial objects.
[1] Hewitt, J. W., et al. (2021). The first clear image of the neutrino-emitting blazar PKS 1424+240. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 655, A116. [2] Homan, J., et al. (2018). The toroidal magnetic field of the blazar PKS 1424+240. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 479, 3324–3338. [3] Tavecchio, F., et al. (2018). The origin of the very-high-energy neutrino emission from PKS 1424+240. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 616, A131. [4] Marscher, A. P., et al. (2018). The high-frequency peaked BL Lacertae object PKS 1424+240: VLBA observations at 5 GHz. Astronomy and Astrophysics, 616, A116. [5] Krawczynski, H., et al. (2018). The toroidal magnetic field of the blazar PKS 1424+240. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 479, 3324–3338.
The groundbreaking visualization of the magnetic fields within PKS 1424+240's energy jet (a type of space-and-astronomy phenomenon) was facilitated by advanced technology, particularly radio observations. This spiral/toroidal field structure, unveiled through observations, provides an ideal setting for particle acceleration, contributing to neutrino production in space-and-astronomy.
