An international team of astronomers using NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) has identified the origin of X-rays in a supermassive black hole’s jet, answering a question that has been unresolved since the earliest days of X-ray astronomy. Their findings are described in a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, by the American Astronomical Society, Nov. 11.
The IXPE mission observed the Perseus Cluster, the brightest galaxy cluster i observable in X-rays, for more than 600 hours over a 60-day period between January and March. Not only is this IXPE’s longest observation of a single target to date, it also marks IXPE’s first time observing a galaxy cluster.
Specifically, the team of scientists studied the polarization properties of 3C 84, the massive active galaxy located at the very center of the Perseus Cluster. This active galaxy is a well-known X-ray source and a common target for X-ray astronomers because of its proximity and brightness.
Looks like they were able to detemrinw that the source of the X-rays was from inverse Compton scattering, rather than some other process. They were able to use data from several different telescopes to tease this out.
Seems like the OP should have mentioned what the mystery was: what process is producing these X-rays.
An international team of astronomers using NASA’s IXPE (Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer) has identified the origin of X-rays in a supermassive black hole’s jet, answering a question that has been unresolved since the earliest days of X-ray astronomy. Their findings are described in a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, by the American Astronomical Society, Nov. 11.
The IXPE mission observed the Perseus Cluster, the brightest galaxy cluster i observable in X-rays, for more than 600 hours over a 60-day period between January and March. Not only is this IXPE’s longest observation of a single target to date, it also marks IXPE’s first time observing a galaxy cluster.
Specifically, the team of scientists studied the polarization properties of 3C 84, the massive active galaxy located at the very center of the Perseus Cluster. This active galaxy is a well-known X-ray source and a common target for X-ray astronomers because of its proximity and brightness.
More https://www.nasa.gov/missions/ixpe/nasa-ixpes-longest-observation-solves-black-hole-jets-mystery/?utm\_source=TWITTER&utm\_medium=NASA\_Marshall&utm\_campaign=NASASocial&linkId=889583710
paper
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2505.01832
Yeah but what mystery did they solve?
Looks like they were able to detemrinw that the source of the X-rays was from inverse Compton scattering, rather than some other process. They were able to use data from several different telescopes to tease this out.
Seems like the OP should have mentioned what the mystery was: what process is producing these X-rays.