Radio Astronomy Observatory

'What is the energy source of these emissions? – So is "well-fed" a black hole millions of times more massive than our Sun '- says Yatsusi ( Fukazawa), author of the study from the University of Hiroshima, Japan. 'A black hole is somehow deflects a certain amount of matter falling into it, separating the matter in two oppositely directed side of the jet (jets), emitted from the center. " Fueled fuel the black hole, which is estimated in the hundreds of millions of times more massive than the Sun, the galaxy "Cen A" throws the jet (jets) of magnetized particles moving at speeds close to the speed of light. For tens of millions of years, these jet blew two giant bubble filled with magnetic fields and fast particles – lobes of radio emission, we now see. Radio waves arise in a spiral of fast electrons, which permeates the tangle of magnetic fields acting on the petals.

But what lies behind the gamma rays – high-energy form of light radiation? The entire universe is filled with low-energy radiation – radio photons ubiquitous cosmic microwave background radiation, as well as infrared and visible light of stars and galaxies. The presence of this radiation is the key to understanding gamma-ray galaxies "Cen A". 'When one of these photons collides with ultra-fast particle in the lobes of radio source, the photon receives such an increment energy, which becomes gamma-ray '- explains co-author Lukasz (Lukasz Stawarz) from the Japan Agency for Aerospace Research in Sagamihara, Japan. Although it is more like a pool than on astrophysics, this process called inverse Compton scattering, is the usual method of forming the cosmic gamma-rays. For a galaxy "Cen A" particularly important aspect is the case when the photons of the cosmic microwave background ricochet radiation from high-energy particles in the lobes of radio source. It was shown that in many active galaxies, this process leads to the formation of X-rays.

But the study of the galaxy "Cen A" marks the first time that astronomers have hard evidence that the energy of photons of microwave radiation can be raised to the level of gamma radiation. Fermi telescope has allowed hundreds of catalog blazars and other types of active galaxies in their first year of operation. Until the completion of his mission, this number may reach several thousands. But just because the galaxy "Cen A" is so close, so big and energetic, "she may be the only active galaxies, which Fermi telescope will be considered in this way. With the galaxy Centaurus A telescope Fermi jackpot. Cosmic gamma-ray telescope Fermi (Fermi) nasa – working together for Astrophysics and elementary particle physics, developed jointly with the U.S. Department of Energy, a substantial contribution to development made by research institutions and partners from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden and the usa. National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a set of equipment of the National Science Foundation, operated under an agreement for joint operation with Associated Universities, Inc. Telescope Fermi (Fermi), designed for studying large areas of space, identified a high-energy gamma rays from the extended area surrounding the active galaxy Centaurus A. Radiation corresponds to the length of a train radio-emitting gas in one million light years, which is thrown by the black hole, Xi'an, located in the galaxy. On this inset shows the combined image of the galaxy in the visible / gamma – ray and its position on a one star map sky, a telescope consisting Fermi.