Swift J1727.8−1613 Expels Matter at 1/100 Peak, Challenging Black Hole Feeding Models
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Aug 3
Swift J1727.8−1613 Expels Matter at 1/100 Peak, Challenging Black Hole Feeding Models
2 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Aug 3
Summary
Astronomers tracking Swift J1727.8−1613 found dense gas still blowing out of the system after its 2023 outburst faded to roughly one-hundredth of peak activity.
VLT observations showed the black hole was not just accreting gas from its companion star but also ejecting material through jets and later-stage winds, linking inflow to outflow across the eruption.
Researchers said the expelled mass could be comparable to what the black hole ultimately consumes, implying black holes may be far less efficient feeders than standard pictures assume.
The study, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, provides one of the most detailed optical records of a black hole outburst and suggests such systems keep reshaping their surroundings long after peak brightness.