Thanks to the efforts of a scientific research team from Serbia, led by Dr. Marko Stalevski from the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade, our understanding of the turbulent processes near black holes at the centers of galaxies will be expanded and enriched with discoveries providing new insights into the evolution of these spectacular deep-space objects.
Project BOWIE aims to understand the phenomena present in the immediate vicinity of supermassive black holes. The highly intense processes in such environments can shape the galaxies they inhabit and influence their formation and evolution.
The project is funded by the PROMIS program of the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia. The significance of this research will be felt by both the local and international scientific communities, as the project team plans to create a library of a new dust model around supermassive black holes, making it available to scientists worldwide.
What is Project BOWIE?
It's well-known in science that most galaxy nuclei host supermassive black holes, whether dormant or active. Our current understanding tells us that their gravity is so strong it inevitably attracts surrounding matter. As they do not emit or reflect light, they are practically invisible.
All our knowledge about black holes so far comes from observing their immediate surroundings, within our view of the event horizon, the gravitational boundary of the black hole beyond which nothing can escape.
When a supermassive black hole is in its growth phase, consuming surrounding matter, an accretion disk forms around it, and this phenomenon is known as an active galactic nucleus. During the process where the black hole absorbs interstellar gas and dust, this matter heats up immensely, emitting strong radiation that can outshine all the stars in that galaxy.
These periods of extreme energetic activity of galactic nuclei can be relatively short compared to the lifespan of the host galaxy, yet they can significantly impact its development. Some data suggest a mutual influence between the galaxy and its central black hole, but the exact nature of this relationship remains unclear.
Recent studies have introduced the concept of dust winds in active galactic nuclei, yet science still doesn't fully understand their characteristics. Do these winds carry enough energy and momentum to impact the formation of galactic structures? Can they blow away the dust reservoir feeding the black hole? Are they capable of halting galaxy growth by expelling material? Do they carry dust affecting our optical observations? At what speed do they blow? Are they constant or periodic? What triggers them?
These questions are closely related to both the structure and the role accretion disks around active galactic nuclei play in the evolution of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies, which Project BOWIE aims to address.
How Does Work on Project BOWIE Look in Practice?
Space science researchers are still limited by the vast distances of the objects they study, but modern science and technology are bridging these gaps with state-of-the-art instruments and tools. Thanks to such technological advancements, we recently captured the first image of dust in the vicinity of a black hole.
The image was taken using the eight-meter telescopes of the European Southern Observatory Paranal in Chile. The conclusions drawn from it challenged the conventional understanding of dust behavior near black holes. The questions raised by this discovery are precisely what researchers on Project BOWIE will tackle.
Dr. Marko Stalevski and his team will use these powerful telescope images as references for comparing theoretical images of their new model, calculated using numerical radiation transfer simulations with the Monte Carlo method.
This method tracks individual light rays and their interactions with dust particles to reconstruct expected images based on the properties of observed objects. By comparing simulated and observed images, the 3D geometric distribution and physical properties of dust around supermassive black holes in galactic centers will be determined. The research team will have access to modern server computers, funded by the PROMIS program, to calculate an extensive library of the new dust model around supermassive black holes.
This library will allow for testing the dust wind hypothesis in galaxy centers and will be made available to scientists worldwide. The results of this research will be published in multiple papers in top international journals and presented at international conferences.
Who is Behind Project BOWIE?
The research team is led by Dr. Marko Stalevski, a senior research associate at the Astronomical Observatory in Belgrade, an expert in thermal dust radiation and numerical radiation transfer simulations using the Monte Carlo method. He obtained his Ph.D. from the joint program of University of Belgrade and the University of Ghent in Belgium, with further training in Chile, Japan, and Greece.
Dr. Majda Smole works on simulations of galaxy formation and evolution and has developed a model of supermassive black hole growth in the early Universe. Her doctoral thesis examined the gravitational recoil of black holes, a phenomenon occurring due to gravitational wave emission following black hole mergers.
Dr. Đorđe Savić specializes in spectropolarimetry of active galactic nuclei. During his Ph.D., defended under a joint program between the University of Belgrade and the University of Strasbourg, he developed a new method for determining the masses of supermassive black holes using numerical radiation transfer simulations.
Greatest Professional Success and Future Expectations?
Dr. Marko Stalevski, the project author and team leader, spent years at the University of Chile thanks to a prestigious scholarship from the Chilean Science and Technology Development Fund (FONDECYT).
Due to the exceptionally favorable weather conditions, the largest and most advanced telescopes with cutting-edge instruments are located in the Atacama Desert's high plateau in northern Chile. His stay in Chile enabled him to form numerous collaborations, gain valuable experience, and conduct several observational programs using these top-tier telescopes.
As for his future outlook, Dr. Stalevski sees this project as his first opportunity to form his own research team. While he has had numerous international collaborations in his previous research, this will be his first time directly managing researchers' work, a crucial experience for building his career.
For more information, visit the online presentation of Project BOWIE.
