Discovering the Secrets of High-Energy Galactic Bubbles in the Milky Way

 Astronomers have made exciting new discoveries about the characteristics of colossal gas structures, known as "eRosita bubbles," which stretch above and below the center of the Milky Way. A recent study in Nature Astronomy, led by researchers from Ohio State University, revealed that these bubbles are more intricate than previously understood. While they share a similar shape with Fermi bubbles, eRosita bubbles are larger and more energetic. As "galactic bubbles," they provide a unique opportunity to explore the history of star formation and uncover new insights about the origins of the Milky Way. These bubbles are found in the circumgalactic medium, the gas surrounding galaxies.

Initial research had hypothesized that these bubbles were heated by the shock from gas as it expelled from the galaxy. However, the key findings of this study indicated that the temperature inside the bubbles isn't significantly different from the surrounding area. The study also demonstrated that these bubbles are extremely bright due to their high-density gas content. The researchers conducted their analysis using data from the Suzaku satellite, a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. By examining 230 archival observations from 2005 to 2014, the team was able to characterize the diffuse emission and electromagnetic radiation from highly diluted gas within the galactic bubbles and their surroundings.

The researchers discovered an abundance of non-solar neon-oxygen and magnesium-oxygen ratios in the eRosita bubble shells, which strongly supports the theory that these bubbles were formed by nuclear star-forming activity or energy injections from massive stars and other astrophysical events, rather than supermassive black hole activity. In order to delve deeper into the potential implications of their findings for other areas of astronomy, the team plans to utilize new data from forthcoming space missions to further analyze the properties of these enigmatic bubbles and develop innovative methods to evaluate existing data.

Source: The Ohio State University