First Mid-Infrared Flare Detected from Sagittarius A* by James Webb Space Telescope

An international team of scientists has used the MIRI instrument aboard the James Webb Space Telescope to achieve the first detection of a mid-infrared (mid-IR) flare from Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the supermassive black hole at the Milky Way's center. Simultaneous radio observations revealed a delayed radio counterpart to the flare, a discovery detailed in a paper published on the arXiv preprint server.

Sgr A*, approximately four million times the mass of the sun, has been a focus of study since the early 1990s. While flares from Sgr A* have been observed across various wavelengths, mid-IR observations had remained elusive until now. This gap limited scientists’ understanding of how these flares are produced and the processes driving them.

Infrared light, situated between visible and radio wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum, allows astronomers to observe phenomena obscured by cosmic dust. The mid-IR range, in particular, provides insights into the cooling processes of electrons that power flares, bridging the gap between submillimeter and near-infrared data.

"For over 20 years, we've understood the radio and near-infrared components of these flares, but the link between them was unclear," explained Joseph Michail, a lead author of the study and Postdoctoral Fellow at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "This mid-IR detection bridges that gap."

Theoretical models suggest that flares in Sgr A* arise from magnetic reconnection in its turbulent accretion disk, where magnetic field lines merge and release energy. This process energizes electrons, which emit synchrotron radiation as they travel near the speed of light along the magnetic fields.

The new mid-IR data supports these models, providing strong evidence that cooling electrons produce the flares. Sebastiano von Fellenberg, a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy and the study’s lead author, highlighted the findings' broader significance. "Our results emphasize the need for multi-wavelength studies of Sgr A* and other supermassive black holes like M87* to unravel the dynamics within and around their accretion disks."

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Complementary observations with the Submillimeter Array (SMA), NuSTAR, and the Chandra X-ray Observatory offered further context. While the X-ray instruments did not detect this particular flare—likely due to lower electron energy—the SMA identified a millimeter-wave flare occurring roughly 10 minutes after the mid-IR event, underscoring the sequential nature of these emissions.

"This groundbreaking mid-IR detection has filled a crucial gap in our understanding of Sgr A*'s flares and opened new avenues for exploration," said von Fellenberg. "While the data aligns with synchrotron emission theories, questions about magnetic reconnection and disk turbulence remain."

Tamojeet Roychowdhury, a student at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and a collaborator on the study, expressed enthusiasm about contributing to the research. "Working with James Webb data was a dream come true. I’m excited to continue exploring this field during my Ph.D. studies."

Gunther Witzel, a staff scientist at the Max Planck Institute, praised the telescope's capabilities. "This mid-infrared data showcases the unparalleled technical precision of the James Webb Space Telescope, advancing our understanding of supermassive black holes."

These findings mark a significant step forward in decoding the dynamic environment of Sgr A*, providing a clearer picture of the complex processes at work in one of the universe's most enigmatic regions.