The possibilities that exist in our galaxy are mind-blowing and limitless.
Not all the events that occur in space are known to man, but from what we know,
the universe, which appears balanced and orderly, is an ironic amplification
of the fundamental elements of the universe, which are somewhat chaotic in nature.
In the most unlikely place, scientists have detected x-rays which may be the solution to
the looming challenges of space communication. Welcome to our channel. In today’s video,
we’ll be talking about the interesting discovery of the black hole that emits x-rays.
THE MYSTERY BLACK HOLE. A few years ago,
researchers from Stanford University discovered a massive black hole in the center of a galaxy
800 million light years away from ours. This mysterious black hole appears to produce
x-rays reflecting onto the universe around it. Scientists have described these rays as bright
flares resulting from the interaction between the surrounding universe and the massive black hole.
When gas descends into a black hole, the pressure and heat within it cause
the gases to erupt and produce different components of the electromagnetic spectrum.
One of the waves produced includes x-rays which are seen as brilliant flares, as described by
researchers such as Dan Wilkins. As seen through telescopic images, the x-rays don’t all have the
same wavelength and amplitude; hence, they present with varying speeds, intensity, and even color.
Scientists have clarified that the x-rays are produced as reflections of the gases’
entrance into the black hole; however, these x-rays’ visibility is a concept that still
puzzled many researchers for a while. Black holes themselves are incapable of
producing visible light, so apart from x-rays, visible light is also emitted from the nuclear
reactions that gases undergo in the black hole. Dan Wilkins, a research scientist at the Kavli
Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology at Stanford and SLAC National
Accelerator Laboratory, stated that any light that goes into that black hole doesn’t come out,
so we shouldn’t be able to see anything that’s behind the black hole. Regardless, according to
Wilkins, the reason for its visibility is because that black hole is warping space.
This means that its magnetic fields are twisted, so light is caused to
bend around the black hole and appear behind it. These light rays not only make the black
hole visible but are also responsible for the different colors of the emitted x-rays flares.
The scenario of the emission of light behind a black hole was predicted by
Einstein’s theory of general relativity but was not verified until now. For many years,
astrophysicists have speculated on the behavior of the electromagnetic spectrum around a black hole,
and this new observation of light behind the black hole has helped put things in perspective.
Scientists haven't entirely decoded the nature of this interesting black hole; however, observing
these x-ray photons can allow scientists to map out and describe the black hole more accurately.
REGULAR SOURCES OF X-RAYS IN SPACE
The emission of electromagnetic waves in space is not an unusual phenomenon. Our solar system
emits a tremendous amount of electromagnetic radiation, albeit most of this radiation is in
the form of visible light, which is the portion of this radiation we can see with our eyes.
However, many cosmic objects have been proven to emit x-rays as well.
In the late 1940s, a sounding rocket experiment proved that the sun is a powerful source of
x-rays. The upper layer of the sun’s atmosphere, called the corona, is the point where x-ray
emissions are primarily detected from the sun. The temperature in the corona is measured in millions
of degrees, and only gases that penetrate this later can be hot enough to emit x-rays.
The solar corona makes the sun an excellent source of x-rays;
however, compared to other cosmic objects, it is a relatively weak source. Its proximity to
Earth makes it more observable; however, there are ordinary stars millions of miles away from Earth,
which are more notable x-ray sources. Many nebulae in space have been detected
as sources of x-rays due to the presence of young, massive stars, which are the most powerful x-ray
sources in space. They’re peculiar not just because their coronal gases have insanely high
temperatures but also because their corona is expandable, and this makes the nebulae
they’re contained in appear as an x-ray source. The brightest source of x-rays in our universe is
Scorpius X-1, located about 9000 light years from Earth. It was discovered in the early 1960s, and
unlike other impressive x-ray sources, Scorpius X-1 appears faintly and has a bluish color.
Scorpius X-1 operates in a close double star system. This means it consists of two components:
the bluish star and an invisible neutron star. X-rays are generated when cosmic matter from
the visible, bluish hot star falls to the neutron star. The latter has an enormous
gravitational field strength which propels and crushes whatever falls to its surface. The
compression and overheating of these interstellar materials will lead to the emission of x-rays.
Other stars in space which are powerful x-ray sources include the Crab Nebula,
other supernova remnants, galaxy clusters, and many other binary stars.
FATE OF X-RAYS IN SPACE. Most of the x-rays produced
in space are utilized within space. Those that are reflected on the Earth's surface are largely
absorbed by the atmosphere; therefore, x-rays from space aren’t exactly utilized on Earth.
While this prevents living organisms from exposure to lethal amounts of x-rays, it also means that
scientists have to get to the Earth’s atmosphere to study the activities of x-rays in space.
The usefulness of x-rays in space is not all that different from what we’re familiar with.
Due to their high penetration power, x-rays are used for study purposes,
and just like they’re used to looking out for cracks in bones and metals,
scientists use x-rays in space to study the nature of cosmic objects.
For example, they are used to study galactic clusters, which are the largest objects in space.
Galactic clusters are produced due to the clumping of thousands of galaxies drawn
together by their mutual gravitational attraction. Because x-rays can penetrate these clusters,
they can be studied using x-ray telescopes. Collisions of galaxies occur frequently;
hence there are a significant amount of galactic clusters in space. Telescopic images show these
individual galaxies covered in a thin x-ray glow. Studying the x-rays as they penetrate
these galactic clusters can tell astronomers a lot about the evolution of galaxies and
the nature of the force that binds them together. Apart from study purposes, scientists at NASA and
other space agencies are exploring the possibility of using x-rays as a source of communication.
Since the beginning of space exploration in the mid-1960s,
radio waves have been the means of communication in space; however, the amount of data regularly
sent to and from space is rapidly reaching the limits of what radio communications can handle.
In the coming years, the pressure on radio communications is expected to increase
exponentially as thousands of new satellites and telescopes will be launched into space.
Additionally, for both habitation and work purposes, the presence of humans in space
is expected to increase. NASA expects more missions to be sent to Mars, the moon,
and other planetary bodies. For all these reasons, scientists are looking for more
efficient means of communication across space. Optical communications, which include the use of
lasers to transmit data, have shown promise and are generally preferred to radio communications;
however, theoretically, x-ray communication shows more promise.
For one, x-rays can penetrate obstacles that impede the transmission of radio waves.
Compared to radio waves and lasers, x-ray has shorter wavelength; therefore, theoretically,
x-rays can transmit more information with the same amount of power over longer distances.
If the experiment is successful, data transfer across space
would be more efficient at rates of several gigabytes per second.
This would encourage more space missions beyond Earth, not to mention how lucrative
it’ll be for NASA and other space agencies. Using their XCOM technology demonstrator,
NASA has begun testing the use of x-rays to communicate in space. In a NASA press release,
Jason Mitchell, one of NASA’s engineers who helped develop this technology, said, “For some missions,
XCOM may be an enabling technology due to the extreme distances where they must operate.”
He explained that XCOM showed a lot of promise and urged investors to invest in the project.
For this experiment to succeed, x-ray stations will have to be built across space.
NASA has said that most of the hardware necessary for the exhibition of XCOM has been built;
however, funding is required for the housing and high-voltage power
supply of XCOM devices that can be used in space.
It will take years until the XCOM fully replaces radio communications, but if
successful, this new technology will launch space scientists into a new era of space exploration.
That’s a wrap on this video. Thank you for watching Factnomenal