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Milky Way's Black Hole a Gamma Source?

Posted by kdawson on from the high-energy-pinball dept.

eldavojohn writes "A paper recently accepted for publication (preprint here) proposes a sound explanation for the source of the gamma rays that permeate our galaxy. The Milky Way's central object Sagittarius A*, widely believed to be a supermassive black hole, is now suspected to be the source. To test this theory, two scientists created a computer model to track the protons, flung outward with energies up to 100 TeV by the intense magnetic fields near the event horizon, as they make a random walk through the plasma environment. It can take thousands of years for them to travel 10 light-years from the black hole, where they collide with lower-energy protons to form pions. These decay into gamma radiation emanating from a torus-shaped region around the central object."

16 of 100 comments (clear)

  1. Brings to mind this question .... by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 4, Funny

    "The Milky Way's central object Sagittarius A* [CC], widely believed to be a supermassive black hole, is now suspected to be the source."

    Would that make it an "A-Hole" ?????

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    1. Re:Brings to mind this question .... by PhrostyMcByte · · Score: 4, Funny

      Coming from Sagittarius A*, the gamma radiation will obviously have little difficulty finding a path to earth.

    2. Re:Brings to mind this question .... by slashgimp · · Score: 3, Funny

      I sense an oncoming joke about Administratium, what with all the talk of A-holes, peons, and things taking thousands of years to accomplish a task ;)

      Whee!

    3. Re:Brings to mind this question .... by Hoi+Polloi · · Score: 2, Funny

      I always thought the Milky Way was full of yummy nougat. Ummmmm....nougat

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  2. Black Hole by alexj33 · · Score: 2, Funny

    The Milky Way's central object Sagittarius A*, widely believed to be a supermassive black hole, is now suspected to be the source.

    That black hole must really suck.

    1. Re:Black Hole by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Recent evidence now suggests the supermassive black hole was created when Chuck Norris punched Superman so hard he ripped a hole in the fabric of space.

  3. Paging Louis Wu by sqlrob · · Score: 4, Funny

    Long Shot is ready for departure

    1. Re:Paging Louis Wu by j_presper_eckert · · Score: 2, Funny

      God, how I love the concept of the "Long Shot". 75 seconds to the light-year [-swoon-].

      Imagine a Beowulf Shaeffer cluster of those...

      Thanks folks, I'll be here all week. Be sure to tip your Puppeteer generously!

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  4. oblig. by Rob+T+Firefly · · Score: 2, Funny

    What does God need with a starship?

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  5. Re:Do we know? by IflyRC · · Score: 1, Funny

    Between dark matter, dark energy, gravity, black holes, big bang, etc. it seems like we just conveniently make up "stuff" to fit some model or equation.

    Is that not the same statement many have made as to the reason man in early history believed in gods?

    That black hole is angry, its throwing things at us!

  6. Man the Battlestations! by eno2001 · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's time to cue the Goatse jokes and links! Let's give 'em hell boys!

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  7. Re:Same here by $RANDOMLUSER · · Score: 2, Funny

    You might want to take a look at (I am NOT making this up) VB Helper Tutorial: Does P = NP? ;D

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  8. Apparantly... by spun · · Score: 1, Funny

    It sucks AND blows!

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  9. Re:huh? by StikyPad · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well now I'm thinking of heating up a frozen BBQ sandwich. Thanks.

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  10. Re:Star near the black hole by gr8_phk · · Score: 2, Funny

    Sorry. My dumb. I read too fast and saw all this stuff about gama radiation and my brain converted protons into photons. Hey, there you have it - proton decay due to dim gray matter - er uh dark matter.

  11. Re:Paging Teela Brown by savage1r · · Score: 2, Funny

    Get ready to recieve my Hot Needle of Inquiry.