Scientists tasked with observing several galaxies have discovered no less than three double quasars, namely pairs of supermassive black holes in the process of merging. It is such a unique phenomenon that it is already very rare to observe it in space in a single copy.
The phenomenon of fusion occurs when two black holes absorb material simultaneously. "As the universe grows hierarchically, galaxies sometimes undergo major mergers with each other", indicate the authors of the study, published Wednesday in The Astrophysical Journal, reports Numerama .
Two double quasars never seen before
The mergers in question are difficult to spot because of the extreme luminosity they give off. The light can prevent good observation and pass for the classic radiation of a black hole. Among the quasars (region surrounding a supermassive black hole) already listed, only 0.3% would host two supermassive black holes close to fusion.
Astronomers are all the more proud of their improbable discovery as two of the three double quasars they identified had never been observed before. They now hope that their study of the characteristics of double quasars will allow them to learn more about the development of supermassive black holes and the galaxies in which they grow.
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