The University of Cape Town (UCT) researchers and South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope have made a “monumental discovery” of a rare giant radio galaxy.
The galaxy has been named Inkathazo, and is expected to help astronomers further understand the largest structures in the universe.
According to a statement, this ground-breaking study, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, features contributions from researchers and scientists worldwide.
Giant radio galaxies (GRGs) are extraordinary cosmic phenomena − massive galaxies emitting plasma jets millions of light-years across intergalactic space, powered by supermassive black holes at their centres, explains the statement.
While previously considered rare, a surge of GRG discoveries has been made possible by cutting-edge telescopes like MeerKAT, transforming the understanding of these cosmic behemoths, it adds.
“The number of GRG discoveries has absolutely exploded in the past five years thanks to powerful new telescopes like MeerKAT,” says Kathleen Charlton, a Masters student at UCT and the first author of the study.
“Research into GRGs is developing so rapidly that it’s becoming hard to keep up. It’s incredibly exciting!”
The discovery of Inkathazo is particularly significant, as it has revealed an unusual giant radio galaxy with plasma jets extending 3.3 million light-years, more than 32 times the size of the Milky Way, adds Charlton.
Inkathazo means “trouble” in isiZulu and isiXhosa, and the name was chosen because the galaxy’s features have posed challenges for researchers attempting to understand its peculiar physics, she says.
“It doesn’t have the same characteristics as many other giant radio galaxies. For example, the plasma jets have an unusual shape. Rather than extending straight across from end-to-end, one of the jets is bent.”
According to UCT, MeerKAT, operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory, has proven to be a revolutionary tool for exploring the southern sky.
As a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), it offers the latest capabilities, making it a key player in uncovering cosmic mysteries like Inkathazo.
The researchers used MeerKAT’s innovations to create high-resolution spectral age maps of Inkathazo, which track the age of the plasma jets across different regions.
These maps revealed unexpected energy boosts in the electrons within the jets, likely caused by collisions with hot gas between galaxies in the cluster. This discovery challenges existing plasma physics models and highlights the complexities of these extreme cosmic objects, say researchers.
Dr Jacinta Delhaize, a researcher at UCT, emphasises the importance of MeerKAT in these discoveries. “The fact that we unveiled three GRGs by pointing MeerKAT at a single patch of sky goes to show that there is likely a huge treasure trove of undiscovered GRGs in the southern sky.”
This discovery underscores the critical role of SA and UCT in advancing understanding of the universe, and reinforces the importance of cutting-edge research and collaboration in unravelling the mysteries of the cosmos, says the university.
“We’re entering an exciting era of radio astronomy,” adds Dr Delhaize.
“While MeerKAT has taken us further than ever before, the SKA will allow us to push these boundaries even further and hopefully solve some of the mysteries surrounding enigmatic objects like giant radio galaxies.”
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