Free Astronomy Magazine March-April 2023 ARABIC VERSION

49 galaxy mergers that create them may be surprisingly commonplace in the Universe. active galactic nuclei —compact, highly luminous areas in galaxies caused by the accretion of matter ing two black holes so close together in the nearby Uni- verse could pave the way for additional studies of the ex- citing phenomenon. “ALMA is unique in that it can see through large columns of gas and dust and achieve very high spatial resolution to see things very close together. Our study has identified one of the closest pairs of black holes in a galaxy merger, and because we know that galaxy mergers are much more com- mon in the distant Universe, these black hole binaries too may be much more common than previously thought.” If close-paired binary black hole pairs are indeed com- monplace, as Koss and the team posit, there could be significant implications for future detections of gravita- tional waves. Ezequiel Treister, an as- tronomer at Universidad Católica de Chile and a co-au- thor of the research said, “There might be many pairs of growing supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies that we have not been able to identify so far. If this is the case, in the near future we will be observ- The results of the new research were published in The Astrophysical Jour- nal Letters, and presented in a press conferenceat the 241 st meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in Seattle, Washington. At just 500 million light-years away from Earth in the constellation Can- cer, UGC 4211 is an ideal candidate for studying the end stages of gal- axy mergers, which occur more fre- quently in the distant Universe, and as a result, can be difficult to ob- serve. When scientists used the highly sensitive 1.3mm receivers at ALMA to look deep into the merger’s around central black holes— they found not one, but two black holes gluttonously devouring the byprod- ucts of the merger. Surprisingly, they were dining side-by-side with just 750 light-years between them. “Simulations suggested that most of the population of black hole bina- ries in nearby galaxies would be in- active; much less common two growing black holes like we found,” said Michael Koss, a senior research scientist at Eureka Scientific and the lead author of the new research. Koss added that the use of ALMA was a game-changer, and that find- ing frequent gravitational wave events caused by the mergers of these objects across the Universe.” Pairing ALMA data with multi-wave- length observations from other powerful telescopes like Chandra, Hubble, ESO’s Very Large Telescope, and Keck added fine details to an al- ready-compelling tale. “Each wave- length tells a different part of the story. While ground-based optical imaging showed us the whole merg- ing galaxy, Hubble showed us the nuclear regions at high resolutions. X-ray observations revealed that there was at least one active galactic اﺳـــــــــــــــــــﺘﺨﺪم اﻟﻌﻠﻤـــــــــــــــــــﺎء ﻣﺼـــــــــــــــــــــــﻔﻮفﻣﺮﺻـــــــــــــــــــــــﺪ أﺗﺎ ﺎﻣـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﺎ اﻟﻤﻠ ﻤــــــــــــــــــــ ي / ﺗﺤـــــــــــــــــــــﺖ اﻟﻤﻠ ﻤــــــــــــــــــ ي اﻟﻜﺒــــــــــــــــــ أﻟﻤـــﺎ ) ( ﻟﻠﺒﺤـــﺚ ﻌﻤـــﻖ ﻓــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﻲﻗﻠــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﺐ زوج اﻟﻤﺠـــــــــــــﺮات اﻟﻤﻨﺪﻣﺠـــــــــــــﺔ اﻟﻤﻌﺮوﻓـــــــﺔ ﺎﺳـــــــﻢ UGC 4211 dis- اﻛﺘﺸـــــــــﻔﺖ ﻣــــــــــﻦ اﺛﻨــــــــــ اﻟﺜﻘـــــــــــــــــــﻮب اﻟﺴـــــــــــــــــــﻮداء ًــــــﺎ إﻟــــــﻰﺟﻨــــــﺐ ﺗﻨﻤــــــﻮ ﺟﻨ ﻋﻠـــــــــﻰ ﻌـــــــــﺪ ٧٥٠ ﺳــــــــــﻨﺔ ﺿﻮﺋ ﺔ ﻓﻘﻂ . ُﻈﻬــــــــــــــﺮﺗﺼــــــــــــــﻮرﻫــــــــــــــﺬا اﻟﻔﻨــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﺎن اﻧــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﺪﻣﺎج اﻟﻤﺠــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﺮات ﻓـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــﻲ اﻟﻤﺮﺣﻠــــــــــــــــﺔ اﻟﻤﺘـــــــــــــــــﺄﺧﺮة أﺳــــــــــــــــــــــﻮدﻳﻦ وﺛﻘﺒـــــــــــــــــــــ . ﻣﺮﻛﺰ اﻟﺜﻘـــــــــــــــــــﻮب اﻟﺴـــــــــــــــــــﻮداء ـــــــﺔ ﻫـــــــﻲ اﻷﻗــــــــﺮ اﻟﺜﻨﺎﺋ ﻟﻮﺣﻈـــــــــــﺖ ﻣﻌًـــــــــــﺎ اﻟـــــــــــ ـــــــــﺔ ﻓــــــــﻲ أﻃــــــــﻮال ﻣﻮﺟ ﻣﺘﻌــــﺪدة . [ALMA (ESO / NAOJ / NRAO) . ؛ م ـــﺲ وا (NRAO / AUI / NSF)] اﻟﺘﻲ ﺗﺨﻠﻘﻬﺎ ﻗﺪ ﺗﻜﻮن ﺷﺎﺋﻌﺔ ﺑﺸﻜﻞ ﻣﺪﻫﺶ ـﻧُ . ﰲ اﻟﻜﻮن ﴩت ﻧﺘـﺎﺋﺞ اﻟﺒﺤـﺚ اﻟﺠﺪﻳـﺪ ﰲ ﻣﺠﻠــﺔ Astrophysical Journ l Letters وﻗﺪﻣﺖ ﰲ ﻣﺆﺗﻤﺮ ﺻﺤﻔﻲ ﰲ اﻻﺟﺘﻤـﺎع ٢٤١ ﻟﻠﺠﻤﻌﻴــﺔ اﻟ ﻔﻠﻜﻴــﺔ اﻷﻣﺮﻳﻜﻴ ـﺔ ﰲ ﺳــﻴﺎﺗﻞ ﺑ ﻮاﺷﻨﻄﻦ . ﺗﻌﺘﱪ ا ﺠـﺮة UGC 4211 اﻟﺘـﻲ ﺗﺒﻌﺪ ٥٠٠ ﻣﻠﻴﻮن ﺳـﻨﺔ ﺿـﻮﺋﻴﺔ ﻓﻘـﻂ ﻣـﻦ اﻷرض ﰲ ﻛﻮﻛﺒﺔ اﻟ ـ ﴪﻃﺎن ﻣﺮﺷﺤًﺎ ﻣﺜﺎﻟﻴًـﺎ ﻟﺪراﺳﺔ ا ﺮاﺣﻞ اﻟﻨﻬﺎﺋﻴﺔ ﻣﻦ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺎت اﻧﺪﻣﺎج ا ﺠﺮات ، واﻟﺘـﻲ ﺗﺤـﺪث ﺑﺸـﻜﻞ ﻣﺘﻜـﺮر ﰲ اﻟﻜـﻮن اﻟﺒﻌﻴـﺪ وﻧﺘﻴﺠـﺔ ﻟـﺬﻟﻚ ﻗـﺪ ﻳﺼـﻌﺐ رﺻﺪﻫﺎ، ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ا ﺳﺘﺨﺪم اﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎء ا ﺴﺘﻘﺒﻼت ﻋﺎﻟﻴﺔ اﻟﺤﺴﺎﺳـﻴﺔ ١.٣ ﻣﻠـﻢ ﺑﻤﺮﺻـﺪ أ ـﺎ ) ( ﻟﻠﺒﺤــﺚ ﺑﻌﻤــﻖ ﰲ ﻧ ـﻮاة ا ﺠــﺮة اﻟﻨﺸــﻄﺔ ﻟﻼﻧﺪﻣﺎج . ﻻﻧﺪﻣﺎج ﻣﻨﺎﻃﻖ ﻣﺘﻀﺨﻤﺔ ﺷـﺪﻳﺪة اﻹﺿـﺎءة ﰲ ا ﺠﺮات ﻧﺎﺗﺠـﺔ ﻋـﻦ ﺗـﺮاﻛﻢ ا ـﺎدة ﺣـﻮل اﻟﺜﻘ ـ ﺰﻳﺔ ﻟ ـﺮﻛ ﻮداء ا ـ ﻮب اﻟﺴ ـ ﻢ ﻳﺠﺪوا ﺛﻘﺒًﺎ واﺣﺪًا ﺑﻞ ﺛﻘﺒ أﺳﻮدﻳﻦ ﻳﻠﺘﻬﻤﺎن ﺑـ ـ ﴩاﻫﺔ اﻟﻨﻮاﺗﺞ اﻟﺜﺎﻧﻮﻳﺔ ﻟﻼﻧـﺪﻣﺎ واج ﺜـ ﻟﻠﺪﻫﺸـﺔ أﻧﻬﻤﺎ ﻛﺎﻧﺎ ﻳﻠﺘﻬﻤﺎن ا ﺎدة ﺟﻨﺒًﺎ إﱃ ﺟﻨﺐ ﻋـﲆ ﺑﻌـﺪ ٧٥٠ ﺳـﻨﺔ ﺿـﻮﺋﻴﺔ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻤـﺎ . اﻗﱰﺣـﺖ ﻋﻤﻠﻴﺎت ا ﺤﺎﻛﺎة أن ﻣﻌﻈﻢ ﻣﺠﻤﻮﻋﺎت اﻟﺜﻘﺐ اﻷﺳـﻮد ﰲ ا ﺠـﺮات اﻟﻘﺮﻳﺒـﺔ ﺳـﺘﻜﻮن ﻏـ ﻧﺸﻄﺔ ؛ ﻗـﺎل ﻣﺎﻳﻜـﻞ ﻛـﻮس ﻛﺒـ ﻋﻠﻤـﺎء اﻷﺑﺤﺎث ﰲ ﻣﻌﻬﺪ ﻳﻮرﻳﻜـﺎ اﻟﻌﻠﻤـﻲ وا ﺆﻟـﻒ اﻟﺮﺋﻴﴘ ﻟﻠﺒﺤﺚ اﻟﺠﺪﻳﺪ وأ : ﺿﺎف أن اﺳﺘﺨﺪام ( أ ﺎ) ﻣﺮﺻﺪ ﻏ ﻗﻮاﻋـﺪ اﻟﻠﻌﺒـﺔ وأن اﻟﻌﺜـﻮر ﻋﲆ ﺛﻘﺒ أﺳﻮدﻳﻦ ﻗﺮﻳﺒ ﺟﺪًا ﻣﻦ ﺑﻌﻀﻬﻤﺎ ﰲ ﰲ اﻟﻜﻮن اﻟﻘﺮﻳـﺐ ﻳﻤﻜـﻦ أن ﻳﻤﻬـﺪ اﻟﻄﺮﻳﻖ ﻟﺪراﺳﺎت إﺿﺎﻓﻴﺔ ﻋﻦ ﻫـﺬه اﻟﻈﺎﻫﺮة ا ﺜ ة . " ﻳﻌﺘﱪ ﻣﺮﺻﺪ ( أ ﺎ) اً ﻓﺮﻳـﺪ ﻣـﻦ ﻧﻮﻋـﻪ ﻣـﻦ ﺣﻴـﺚ أﻧـﻪ ﻳ ﺴﺘﻄﻴﻊ اﻟﺮؤﻳﺔ ﻣـﻦ ﺧـﻼل أﻋﻤـﺪة ﻛﺒ ة ﻣﻦ اﻟﻐﺎز واﻟﻐﺒﺎر وﺗﺤﻘﻴ ﻖ دﻗﺔ ﻣﻜﺎﻧﻴﺔ ﻋﺎﻟﻴـﺔ ﺟـﺪًا ﻟﺮؤﻳـﺔ أﺷـﻴﺎء ﻗﺮﻳﺒـﺔ ﺟـﺪًا ﻣـﻦ ﺑﻌﻀـﻬﺎ . ﺣـﺪدت دراﺳـﺘﻨﺎ واﺣـﺪًا ﻣـﻦ أﻗ ـﺮب أزواج اﻟﺜ ﻘﻮب اﻟﺴﻮداء ﰲ اﻧﺪﻣﺎج ا ﺠـﺮات وﻷﻧﻨﺎ ﻧﻌﻠﻢ أن اﻧﺪﻣﺎج ا ﺠﺮ ات أﻛﺜـﺮ ﺷﻴﻮﻋًﺎ ﰲ اﻟﻜﻮن اﻟﺒﻌﻴﺪ ﻓﻘﺪ ﺗﻜـﻮن ﺛﻨﺎﺋﻴﺎت اﻟﺜﻘﻮب اﻟﺴﻮداء ﻫﺬه أﻳ ﻀًـﺎ أﻛﺜﺮ ﺷﻴﻮﻋًﺎ ﻣﻤﺎ ﻛﺎن ﻳﻌﺘﻘﺪ ﺳـﺎﺑﻘًﺎ ." إذا ﻛﺎﻧﺖ أزواج اﻟﺜﻘﻮب اﻟﺴـﻮداء ا ﻟﺜﻨﺎﺋﻴﺔ ا ﺘﻘﺎرﺑﺔ ﺷﺎﺋﻌﺔ ﺑﺎﻟﻔﻌﻞ ﻛﻤﺎ اﻓﱰض ﻛﻮس واﻟﻔﺮﻳﻖ ﻓﻘـﺪ ﺗﻜـﻮن ﻫﻨﺎك آﺛﺎر ﻣﻬﻤﺔ ﻋـﲆ اﻻﻛﺘﺸـﺎﻓﺎت ا ﺴﺘﻘﺒﻠﻴﺔ ﻮﺟـﺎت اﻟﺜﻘﺎﻟﻴـﺔ . ﻗـﺎل إﻳﺰﻳﻜﻴ ـﻞ ﺗﺮﻳﺴ ـﱰ ﻋ ـﺎﻟﻢ اﻟﻔﻠ ـﻚ ﰲ ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ ﻛﺎﺗﻮﻟﻴﻜﺎ دي ﺗﺸﻴﲇ وا ﺆﻟـﻒ ا ﺸﺎرك ﻟﻠﺒﺤـﺚ " ﻗـﺪ ﻳﻜـﻮن ﻫﻨـﺎك اﻟﻌﺪﻳ ـﺪ ﻣ ـﻦ اﻷزواج ﻣ ـﻦ اﻟﺜﻘ ـﻮب اﻟﺴﻮداء ا ﺘﻨﺎﻣﻴﺔ اﻟﻬﺎﺋﻠـﺔ ﰲ ﻣﺮاﻛـﺰ ا ﺠﺮات اﻟﺘﻲ ﻟﻢ ﻧﺘﻤﻜﻦ ﻣﻦ ﺗﺤﺪﻳﺪﻫﺎ ﺣﺘﻰ اﻵن إذا ﻛﺎن ﻫﺬا ﻫﻮ اﻟﺤﺎل ﻓﺴـﻨﺮاﻗﺐ ﰲ ا ﺴﺘﻘﺒﻞ اﻟﻘﺮﻳﺐ ﻣﺠﺮا ت ﻟﻢ ﻧـﺘﻤﻜﻦ ﻣـﻦ ﺗﺤﺪﻳﺪﻫﺎ ﺣﺘﻰ اﻵن و أﺣﺪاث ﻣﻮﺟﺎت ﺛﻘﺎﻟﻴـﺔ ﻣﺘﻜﺮرة ﻧﺎﺟﻤﺔ ﻋﻦ اﻧﺪﻣﺎج ﻫﺬه اﻷﺟﺴﺎم ﻋﱪ اﻟﻜﻮن . إن اﻗـﱰان ﺑﻴﺎﻧـﺎت أ ــﺎ ) ﻣﺮﺻـﺪ ( ﺑﺄرﺻـ ﺎد ﻣﺘﻌﺪدة اﻷﻃﻮال ﻣﻦ ﺗﻠﺴﻜﻮﺑﺎت ﻗﻮﻳﺔ أﺧـﺮى ﻣﺜﻞ ﻣﺮﺻـﺪ ﺗﺸـﺎﻧﺪرا و ﺗﻠﺴـﻜﻮب ﻫﺎﺑـﻞ و اﻟﺘﻠﺴﻜﻮب اﻟﻜﺒ ﺟﺪاً و ﻣﺮﺻﺪ ﻛﻴﻚ أﺿـﺎف ﺗﻔ ﺎﺻﻴﻞ دﻗﻴﻘﺔ إﱃ ﻗ ـ ﺼﺔ ﻣﻘﻨﻌـﺔ ﺑﺎﻟـ ﻞ ﻔﻌـ ﻞ ﻃﻮل ﻛو ﻣﻮﺟﻲ ﻳﺮوي ﺟـﺰءًا ﻣﺨ ﺘﻠﻔًـﺎ ﻣـﻦ اﻟﻘﺼﺔ ﻓ ﺒﻴﻨﻤﺎ أﻇﻬﺮ ﻟﻨﺎ اﻟﺘﺼﻮﻳﺮ اﻟﺒـ ﴫي ـ اﻷرﴈ ا ﺠﺮة ا ﻨﺪﻣﺠﺔ ﺑﺄﻛﻤﻠﻬﺎ ﻟﻘﺪ . أﻇﻬـﺮ ﻟﻨ ـﺎ ﺗﻠﺴ ـﻜﻮب ﻫﺎﺑــﻞ اﻟﻔﻀــﺎﺋﻲ ا ﻨ ـﺎﻃﻖ ــــــــــــ اﻟﻨﻮوﻳﺔ ﺑﺪﻗﺔ ﻋﺎﻟﻴﺔ . ﻣﺎرس أﺑﺮﻳﻞ 2023