New Insights into Microquasar Jets Revealed by IXPE: Surprising Magnetic Field Structure Discovered

Black holes, the most powerful gravitational forces in the universe, are known for their ability to devour and destroy celestial bodies in an instant. When black holes consume planets and stars, they create streams of particles called jets that travel near the speed of light. These jets can accelerate cosmic rays, but the exact process behind this acceleration has remained a mystery. However, a recent study conducted by a team of scientists using NASA’s Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) observatory has shed some light on this phenomenon.

The scientists focused their research on Stephenson and Sanduleak 433 (SS 433), the first microquasar ever discovered. SS 433 is located in the center of the supernova remnant W50, also known as the “Manatee Nebula,” approximately 18,000 light-years away from Earth. The microquasar’s powerful jets move at velocities greater than 77,249 kilometers per second, accounting for the manatee-like shape of W50.

To investigate the jets of SS 433, the scientists utilized IXPE’s X-ray capabilities. IXPE’s three telescopes measured the polarization of the jets to gain insight into the physical processes occurring within and around SS 433. These measurements revealed that the magnetic field around SS 433 is surprisingly intact and organized, contrary to previous theories that suggested disordered and messy magnetic fields.

The scientists found that the magnetic fields within the jets could become trapped and stretched when they come into contact with matter in the surrounding interstellar medium. This interaction impacts the alignment of magnetic fields within regions of particle acceleration, such as the eastern lobe of SS 433. These findings challenge previous explanations for the origin of aligned and organized magnetic fields in microquasars like SS 433.

SS 433 was discovered in 1977, and scientists have long suspected that its jets act as particle accelerators. In 2018, observations using the High-Altitude Water Cherenkov Observatory confirmed this theory. Subsequent observations using NASA’s Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) and the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton X-ray observatory pinpointed the exact region of acceleration within SS 433.

The results of this study not only contribute to our understanding of microquasars and black hole jets but also have implications for a wide range of cosmic phenomena. The data collected by IXPE will help scientists determine if the alignment of magnetic fields in outflows expelled by other celestial events, such as debris from exploded stars or blazars, occurs through a similar process as seen in SS 433.

The success of this research was made possible by IXPE’s imaging capabilities, particularly its X-ray polarimeters. These instruments allowed the scientists to detect a tenuous signal in a small region of the jet, 95 light-years from the central black hole. The IXPE mission, a collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency, aims to measure the polarization of various cosmic phenomena, including cosmic X-rays from black holes, neutron stars, and pulsars.

The findings of this study were published in the latest edition of The Astrophysical Journal. The research not only provides valuable insights into the nature of microquasars and black hole jets but also paves the way for future studies on cosmic phenomena and their magnetic field structures. By unraveling the mysteries of these extreme cosmic events, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of the universe and its intricate workings.