Mapping the Galatic Explosion: New Discoveries on Gas Outflows in Nearby Galaxies

Friday - May 3 2024, 09:43 UTC - 1 year ago

Using data from the MUSE instrument, astronomers have produced the first high-resolution map of a massive gas outflow in nearby galaxy NGC 4383. The outflow, caused by powerful stellar explosions, is so large that it would take 20,000 years for light to travel from one side to the other. This discovery provides important clues about the complex process of outflows and their impact on the space between galaxies. The MAUVE survey, co-led by ICRAR researchers, has already revealed unexpected and exciting discoveries about gas outflows.

A massive explosion in a nearby galaxy has provided astronomers with new insights into the complex process of gas outflows in space. Using data from the MUSE Integral Field Spectrograph on the European Southern Observatoryʼs Very Large Telescope, researchers have produced the first high-resolution map of the outflow in galaxy NGC 4383, located in the nearby Virgo cluster. The outflow, which is so large that it would take 20,000 years for light to travel from one side to the other, is the result of powerful stellar explosions in the central regions of the galaxy .

These explosions can eject enormous amounts of hydrogen and other chemical elements, with the mass of gas ejected equivalent to more than 50 million Suns.Very little is known about the physics of gas outflows, making this discovery even more significant. Lead author Dr. Adam Watts of the University of Western Australia explains, "the ejected gas is quite rich in heavy elements, giving us a unique view of the process of mixing between hydrogen and metals in the outflowing gas .

" The team detected oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and other chemical elements in the outflow, providing important clues about its properties.Gas outflows play a crucial role in regulating the formation of stars in galaxies. The gas ejected by these explosions can pollute the space between stars and even between galaxies, and can float in the intergalactic medium forever. Co-author Professor Barbara Catinella adds, "MAUVE observations allow us to investigate how physical processes such as gas outflows help stop star formation in galaxies .

" The MAUVE survey, co-led by Professors Catinella and Luca Cortese, used data from the MUSE instrument and has already revealed unexpected and exciting discoveries.The discovery of the gas outflow in galaxy NGC 4383 was published on April 22, 2024, in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. In the future, the team hopes that MAUVE observations will provide even more detailed insights about the role of gas outflows in the local Universe .