A team of researchers has discovered a gas leak in the Virgo galaxy cluster that now spans 20,000 light-years. This type of galaxy pollution is very rare and is now being intensively studied.
The gas leak is the result of a powerful stellar explosion in the central region of the galaxy NGC 4383 in the constellation Virgo, ejecting enormous amounts of hydrogen and heavier elements, said study author Adam Watts from the University of Western Australia. The amount of gas emitted is equivalent to that of 50 million suns. “So far, little is known about the physics of gas leaks because they are very rare and difficult to detect,” says Watts.
The gas is also rich in heavy elements, which offers a unique insight into the process of mixing hydrogen with these elements, which include oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, explains the expert. Gas escapes are very important in the formation of stars in galaxies. The escaping gas pollutes the space between the stars within the galaxy and even between galaxies and can travel forever in the intergalactic medium.
The high-resolution images of the gas leak in the Virgo star cluster were possible thanks to the MAUVE (MUSE and ALMA Unveiling the Virgo Environment) program at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) in the Chilean Atacama Desert. “NGC 4383 was our first target because we suspected something interesting there, and the data exceeded all our expectations,” explains participating researcher Barbara Catinella. “We now hope that observations with MAUVE can provide even more detailed insights into gas leaks in the nearby universe in the future.”
This topic in the program:MDR CURRENT | MDR Current | April 23, 2024 | 5:41 p.m