Context:
- LID-568 is a low-mass supermassive black hole existed 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang.
- Detected using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Relevance : GS 3(Science)
Important Findings:
- Feeding at an exceptional rate, nearly 40 times higher than previously thought possible.
- Exceeds the Eddington limit, leading to super-Eddington accretion (a rare and short-lived phenomenon).
- Surpasses the Eddington limit by a factor of 40, unlike other super-Eddington black holes (which exceed it by a factor of 2-3).
Significance:
- Challenges traditional black hole growth theories that suggest gradual accretion over millions of years.
- Implies that rapid mass accumulation could occur in short bursts, possibly explaining quick formation of supermassive black holes in the early universe.
Characteristics:
- Located 2.3 billion light-years away, expanding the known distance for super-Eddington black holes.
Impact on Current Models:
- Suggests supermassive black holes could rapidly gain mass during intense feeding periods, challenging long-accumulation models.
Future Research Directions:
- Observing similar galaxies with fast-feeding black holes to understand feeding mechanisms.
- Exploring how long a black hole can maintain super-Eddington accretion and the prevalence of this behavior.
Theoretical Explanations for Super-Eddington Accretion:
- Mechanisms may include thick accretion discs, powerful jets, and black hole mergers.
- Follow-up observations with JWST will help test these theories.
Broader Implications:
- The discovery could reshape our understanding of how supermassive black holes form in the early universe and influence cosmic evolution.
