Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Alton Parrish (Reporter)
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

Cool New Theory on Galaxy Formation

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


Giant galaxies may grow from cold gas that condenses as stars rather than forming in hot, violent mergers.

The surprise finding was made with CSIRO and US radio telescopes by an international team including four CSIRO researchers and published in the journal Science today.

The biggest galaxies are found at the hearts of clusters, huge swarms of galaxies.

“Until now we thought these giants formed by small galaxies falling together and merging,” team member Professor Ray Norris of CSIRO and Western Sydney University said.

 An artist’s impression of the Spiderweb galaxy sitting in a cloud of cold gas (blue).  
Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser.

But the researchers, led by Dr Bjorn Emonts from the Centro de Astrobiología in Spain, saw something very different when they looked at a protocluster, an embryonic cluster, 10 billion light-years away.

This protocluster was known to have a giant galaxy called the Spiderweb forming at its centre.

Dr Emonts’ team found that the Spiderweb is wallowing in a huge cloud of very cold gas that could be up to 100 billion times the mass of our Sun.

Most of this gas must be hydrogen, the basic material from which stars and galaxies form.

Earlier work by another team had revealed young stars all across the protocluster. The new finding suggests that “rather than forming from infalling galaxies, the Spiderweb may be condensing directly out of the gas,” according to Professor Norris.

The astronomers didn’t see the hydrogen gas directly but located it by detecting a tracer gas, carbon monoxide (CO), which is easier to find.

The Very Large Array telescope in the USA showed that most of the CO could not be in the small galaxies in the protocluster, while CSIRO’s Australia Telescope Compact Array saw the large cloud surrounding the galaxies.

“This is the sort of science the Compact Array excels at,” Professor Norris said.

Co-author Professor Matthew Lehnert from the Institut Astrophysique de Paris described the gas as “shockingly cold” – about minus 200 degrees Celsius.

“We expected a fiery process – lots of galaxies falling in and heating gas up,” he said.

Where the carbon monoxide came from is a puzzle.

“It’s a by-product of previous stars but we cannot say for sure where it came from or how it accumulated in the cluster core,” Dr Emonts said.

“To find out we’d have to look even deeper into the Universe’s history.”

CSIRO researchers Ron Ekers, James Allison and Balthasar Indermuehle also contributed to this study of the Spiderweb.

The Australia Telescope Compact Array is part of the Australia Telescope National Facility, which is funded by the Australian Government for operation as a National Facility managed by CSIRO.

 
 
Contacts and sources:

Andrew Warren

CSIRO.


Source:


Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world. Anyone can join. Anyone can contribute. Anyone can become informed about their world. "United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.


LION'S MANE PRODUCT


Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules


Mushrooms are having a moment. One fabulous fungus in particular, lion’s mane, may help improve memory, depression and anxiety symptoms. They are also an excellent source of nutrients that show promise as a therapy for dementia, and other neurodegenerative diseases. If you’re living with anxiety or depression, you may be curious about all the therapy options out there — including the natural ones.Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend has been formulated to utilize the potency of Lion’s mane but also include the benefits of four other Highly Beneficial Mushrooms. Synergistically, they work together to Build your health through improving cognitive function and immunity regardless of your age. Our Nootropic not only improves your Cognitive Function and Activates your Immune System, but it benefits growth of Essential Gut Flora, further enhancing your Vitality.



Our Formula includes: Lion’s Mane Mushrooms which Increase Brain Power through nerve growth, lessen anxiety, reduce depression, and improve concentration. Its an excellent adaptogen, promotes sleep and improves immunity. Shiitake Mushrooms which Fight cancer cells and infectious disease, boost the immune system, promotes brain function, and serves as a source of B vitamins. Maitake Mushrooms which regulate blood sugar levels of diabetics, reduce hypertension and boosts the immune system. Reishi Mushrooms which Fight inflammation, liver disease, fatigue, tumor growth and cancer. They Improve skin disorders and soothes digestive problems, stomach ulcers and leaky gut syndrome. Chaga Mushrooms which have anti-aging effects, boost immune function, improve stamina and athletic performance, even act as a natural aphrodisiac, fighting diabetes and improving liver function. Try Our Lion’s Mane WHOLE MIND Nootropic Blend 60 Capsules Today. Be 100% Satisfied or Receive a Full Money Back Guarantee. Order Yours Today by Following This Link.


Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.