Michigan State University researchers have made important discoveries about the supermassive
Innovations in Black Hole Research
Grace Sanger-Johnson and Jack Uteg, led by Shuo Zhang, assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, have found innovative ways to shed more light on these cosmic enigmas using decades of X-ray data from space-based telescopes.
“Grace and Jack’s contributions are a source of immense pride,” Zhang said. “Their work exemplifies MSU’s commitment to pioneering research and fostering the next generation of astronomers. This research is a prime example of how MSU scientists are unlocking the universe’s secrets, bringing us closer to comprehending the nature of black holes and the dynamic environment at the heart of our galaxy.”
Galactic Fireworks
Sanger-Johnson, a postbaccalaureate researcher, analyzed 10 years of data looking for X-ray flares from Sagittarius A*, or Sgr A*, the Milky Way’s central black hole. In doing so, she discovered nine flares that had gone unnoticed.
These flares are dramatic bursts of high-energy light that provide a unique opportunity to study the immediate environment around the black hole, a region typically invisible due to its incredible gravity.
Sgr A* is the closest and least active supermassive black hole to Earth and, therefore, data from Sgr A* and its flares is one of the only ways currently known to study the physical environments of a black hole.
“We are sitting in the front row to observe these unique cosmic fireworks at the center of our own Milky Way galaxy,” said Zhang, Sanger-Johnson’s advisor.
“Both flares and fireworks light up the darkness and help us observe things we wouldn’t normally be able to. That’s why astronomers need to know when and where these flares occur, so they can study the black hole’s environment using that light.”
Sanger-Johnson meticulously sifted through a decade’s worth of X-ray data collected from 2015 to 2024 by NuSTAR, or the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, one of