2004/04/20 by Hua Feng, Shuang-Nan Zhang, Shuang‐Nan Zhang +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Astrophysics and Cosmic Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy cluster #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #Physics #Ring (chemistry) #Supermassive black hole #Virgo Cluster #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1086/422096
published as Astrophys.J. 607 (2004) L95-L98 · accepted by ApJL
arxiv created 2004/04/20 · openalex publication_date 2004/05/04 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
The Chandra X-ray data of the central Virgo Cluster are reexamined to reveal a triple-ring structure around the galaxy M87, reminiscent of the spectacular triple-ring pattern of the supernova SN 1987A in the Large Magellanic Cloud. In the sky plane, the two apparent smaller ellipses are roughly aligned along the M87 jets; the larger ring centers at the M87 nucleus and is likely a circle roughly perpendicular to the M87 jet. Certain similarities of these two triple-ring structures might hint at similar processes that operate in these two systems with entirely different sizes and mass scales. We suspect that a major merging event of two galaxies with nuclear supermassive black holes (SMBHs) might create such a triple-ring structure and drove acoustic and internal gravity waves far and near. The M87 jets are perhaps powered by a spinning SMBH resulting from this catastrophic merging event.