Broad Iron K line
Encyclopedia
In astronomy, the broad iron K line is a spectral line
that is an accurate measure of a black hole
's immense gravitational force. The name refers to the shape, on a spectrogram
, of light emitted by iron atoms near the black hole surface. The light loses energy as it climbs out of the black hole's gravitational well, causing the spectral line to be stretched toward lower frequencies
.
A series of observations by the Japanese Suzaku
satellite conducted in 2005 and 2006 demonstrates that the broad iron K line is found coming from almost all galaxies and that the signal is real, from strong gravity, and not noise due to poor resolution. Recent data suggests a connection between quasi-periodic oscillations
and the broad Iron K line.
Scientists believe that they will be able to use the broad iron K line to image black holes.
Spectral line
A spectral line is a dark or bright line in an otherwise uniform and continuous spectrum, resulting from a deficiency or excess of photons in a narrow frequency range, compared with the nearby frequencies.- Types of line spectra :...
that is an accurate measure of a black hole
Black hole
A black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
's immense gravitational force. The name refers to the shape, on a spectrogram
Spectrometer
A spectrometer is an instrument used to measure properties of light over a specific portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, typically used in spectroscopic analysis to identify materials. The variable measured is most often the light's intensity but could also, for instance, be the polarization...
, of light emitted by iron atoms near the black hole surface. The light loses energy as it climbs out of the black hole's gravitational well, causing the spectral line to be stretched toward lower frequencies
Redshift
In physics , redshift happens when light seen coming from an object is proportionally increased in wavelength, or shifted to the red end of the spectrum...
.
A series of observations by the Japanese Suzaku
ASTRO-E
Suzaku is a Japanese X-ray astronomy satellite launched on 10 July 2005 aboard the M-V-6 rocket. The project was renamed Suzaku after its successful launch after the mythical Vermilion bird of the South....
satellite conducted in 2005 and 2006 demonstrates that the broad iron K line is found coming from almost all galaxies and that the signal is real, from strong gravity, and not noise due to poor resolution. Recent data suggests a connection between quasi-periodic oscillations
Quasi-periodic oscillations
In X-ray astronomy, quasi-periodic oscillation is the manner in which the X-ray light from an astronomical object flickers about certain frequencies...
and the broad Iron K line.
Scientists believe that they will be able to use the broad iron K line to image black holes.