A team of astronomers from the University of Western Australia, located in Perth, has recently unveiled groundbreaking research on a massive galactic explosion within the Virgo cluster. The study, published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, sheds light on the chemical pollution lurking in intergalactic space.
Lead author Adam Watts led the research, revealing that the gas outflow observed in galaxy NGC 4383 is a result of powerful stellar explosions in its central regions. The sheer size of the outflow is staggering, with it taking around 20,000 years for light to travel from one end to the other. The mass of gas ejected is equivalent to over 50 million suns, providing a unique window into the complex interplay between hydrogen and metals in the outflowing gas.
Detecting oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and various other chemical elements within the outflow, researchers have uncovered vital information about how galaxies form stars. Gas outflows play a crucial role in regulating the speed and duration of star formation, as the ejected gas can contaminate the space between stars both within and between galaxies for eternity.
To create a high-resolution map of the explosion, astronomers utilized data from the MAUVE survey, conducted at the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile. Co-led by researchers Barbara Catinella and Luca Cortese at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), MAUVE aims to understand how processes like gas outflows impact star formation in galaxies.
“With NGC 4383 being our initial target, we were already expecting something intriguing, but the extent of the findings exceeded our expectations,” Catinella expressed. The team hopes that future observations through MAUVE will unveil the significance of gas outflows in the local Universe with unprecedented detail.
The groundbreaking study not only offers a glimpse into the dynamics of galactic explosions but also provides valuable insights into the broader field of astrophysics. By unraveling the mysteries of gas outflows and their influence on star formation, astronomers are pushing the boundaries of our understanding of the universe.