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By combining observations from the Japan-led Suzaku X-ray satellite and the European Space Agency's infrared Herschel Space Observatory, scientists have connected a fierce “wind” produced near a galaxy's monster black hole to an outward torrent of cold gas a thousand light-years across.
The finding validates a long-suspected feedback mechanism enabling a supermassive black hole to influence the evolution of its host galaxy.
“This is the first study directly connecting a galaxy's actively 'feeding' black hole to features found at much larger physical scales,” said lead researcher Francesco Tombesi, an astrophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP).
“We detect the wind arising from the luminous disk of gas very close to the black hole, and we show that it's responsible for blowing star-forming gas out of the galaxy's central regions,” Tombesi said.
Star formation takes place in cold, dense molecular clouds. By heating and dispersing gas that could one day make stars, the black-hole wind forever alters a large portion of its galaxy.
In a study published in the March 26 edition of Nature, Tombesi and his team reported the connection in a galaxy known as IRAS F11119+3257, or F11119 for short.
The galaxy is so distant, its light has been traveling to us for 2.3 billion years, or about half the present age of our solar system.
Like most galaxies, including our own Milky Way, F11119 hosts a supersized black hole, one estimated at 16 million times the sun's mass.
The black hole's activity is fueled by a rotating collection of gas called an accretion disk, which is some hundreds of times the size of our planetary system.
Closest to the black hole, the orbiting matter reaches temperatures of millions of degrees and is largely responsible for the galaxy's enormous energy output, which exceeds the sun's by more than a trillion times.
The galaxy is heavily enshrouded by dust, so most of this emission reaches us in the form of infrared light.
The new findings resolve a long-standing puzzle. Galaxies show a correlation between the mass of their central black holes and stellar properties across a much larger region called the galactic bulge.
Galaxies with more massive black holes usually possess bulges with proportionately greater stellar mass and faster-moving stars.
Black holes grow the same way their host galaxies do, by colliding and merging with their neighbors.
But mergers disrupt galaxies, which leads to greatly enhanced star formation and sends a flood of gas toward the merged black hole.
The process should scramble any simple relationship between the black hole's growth and the galaxy's evolution, yet it doesn't.
“These connections suggested the black hole was providing some form of feedback that modulated star formation in the wider galaxy, but it was difficult to see how,” said team member Sylvain Veilleux, an astronomy professor at UMCP. “With the discovery of powerful molecular outflows of cold gas in galaxies with active black holes, we began to uncover the connection.”
In 2013, Veilleux led a search for these outflows in a sample of active galaxies using the Herschel Space Observatory.
In F11119, the researchers identified a strong outflow of hydroxyl molecules moving at about 2 million mph. Other studies using different trace molecules found similar flows.
In the present study, Tombesi, Veilleux and their colleagues estimate that this outflow operates up to 1,000 light-years from the galaxy's center and calculate that it removes enough gas to make 800 copies of our sun.
In May 2013, the team observed F11119 using Suzaku's X-ray Imaging Spectrometer, obtaining an effective exposure of nearly three days.
The galaxy's spectrum indicates that X-ray-absorbing gas is racing outward from the innermost accretion disk at 170 million miles per hour, or about a quarter the speed of light.
The region is possibly half a billion miles from the brink of the black hole, and about as close to the point where not even light can escape as Jupiter is from the sun.
“The black hole is ingesting gas as fast as it can and is tremendously heating the accretion disk, allowing it to produce about 80 percent of the energy this galaxy emits,” said co-author Marcio Meléndez, a research associate at UMCP. “But the disk is so luminous some of the gas accelerates away from it, creating the X-ray wind we observe.”
Taken together, the disk wind and the molecular outflow complete the picture of black-hole feedback.
The black-hole wind sets cold gas and dust into motion, giving rise to the molecular outflow. It also heats dust enshrouding the galaxy, leading to the formation of an outward-moving shock wave that sweeps away additional gas and dust.
When the black hole shines at its brightest, the researchers say, it's also effectively pushing away the dinner plate, clearing gas and dust from the galaxy's central regions and shutting down star formation there.
Once the dust has been cleared out, shorter-wavelength light from the disk can escape more easily.
Scientists think ultra-luminous infrared galaxies like F11119 represent an early phase in the evolution of quasars, a type of black-hole-powered galaxy with extreme luminosity across a broad wavelength range.
According to this picture, the black hole will eventually consume its surrounding gas and gradually end its spectacular activity. As it does so, it will evolve from a quasar to a gas-poor galaxy with a relatively low level of star formation.
The researchers hope to detect and study this process in other galaxies and look forward to the improved sensitivity of Suzaku's successor, ASTRO-H.
Expected to launch in 2016, ASTRO-H is being developed at the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (ISAS/JAXA), in collaboration with NASA Goddard and Japanese institutions.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Santa Rosa man is being held in the Lake County Jail in connection to the fatal shootings of two people on Thursday night.
Francisco Leon-Sarmiento, 26, was booked into the Lake County Jail shortly before 1 p.m. Friday, according to jail records.
He is being held on a murder charge, with bail set at $1 million and a court appearance tentatively set for Tuesday, based on his his booking sheet.
Leon-Sarmiento, whose occupation is listed as laborer, was arrested by Clearlake Police just after 10:30 p.m. Thursday, about two hours after two people were mortally wounded in a shooting in the 16000 block of 35th Avenue, as Lake County News has reported.
Police had reported detaining one person who was in a vehicle matching the description of one that witnesses said had left the scene of the shooting just after 10 p.m. in the area of 40th Avenue.
Sgt. Nick Bennett of the Clearlake Police Department on Friday told Lake County News that Leon-Sarmiento is a “a person of interest” whose role in the fatal shootings is still being actively investigated.
Bennett said police also are continuing to search for additional individuals – described as Hispanic males – who they believe were involved.
The names of the victims have not yet been released. Bennett said investigators are still working to finalize identifications, with family notification to follow.
Police also have not yet indicated a possible motive for the shootings.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Clearlake Police Det. Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Winners of the 2014 Lake County STARS Award, the South Lake County Fire Sirens (SLCFS) is celebrating its 30-year anniversary.
At the recent monthly meeting of this small, but dedicated organization, the 2015 slate of directors were introduced and the schedule of events for the year announced and unanimously approved.
Members of SLCFS elected Jeanne Cordeiro to continue to serve as president; Pat Hallman is first vice president; Carol Olsen was reappointed as second vice president; both Jeanne Netherwood and Ruth Angst will continue to serve SLCFS as secretary and treasurer, respectively.
This year's SLCFS schedule includes participation in the Memorial Day Ceremony at the Middletown Cemetery; an update on the State of South Lake County by District 1 Supervisor Jim Comstock; fire district news and update by South Lake Fire and Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Wink; a tour of the Calpine Geothermal Visitor Center; and presentations on the history of south Lake County tribes and Boggs Mountain Demonstration Forest.
“The mission of the SLCFS is to raise funds to purchase life saving equipment and to assist wherever we are able,” said Cordeiro.
Celebrating 30 years, the SLCFS has raised more than $300,000 for the South Lake County Fire District.
“We are forever grateful to the members of the South Lake County Fire Sirens,” said Wink. “Every year they are here to support the fire department’s emergency response capabilities and the safety of the communities the South Lake County Fire Protection District covers. “
“We have a creed in the department,” Wink continued. “It is the Latin term ‘Semper Vigilio,’ which translates to ‘Always to be Alert, Prepared and Faithful.’ The Fire Sirens help us meet that expectation every time the community needs us. We congratulate the Fire Sirens on their 30-year anniversary.”
The SLCFS also supports the Blood Centers of the Pacific Blood Drive held at the South Lake County Fire Station; hosts a holiday craft faire held annually in the bay of the fire station; and runs the Fire Siren Thrift Shop, located at 21095 Highway 175, Middletown.
The Fire Siren Thrift Shop, “Second Hand But Grand,” is open every Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the first Saturday of each month.
SLCFS meetings are held monthly at the South Lake County Fire Station on the first Monday of the month.
A coffee social kicks off the morning at 9:30 a.m. and the meeting begins at 10 a.m. Approximately 25 members attend regularly.
For more information contact Jeanne Cordeiro at 707-928-5452.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Assemblyman Bill Dodd voted Thursday to enact badly needed drought relief legislation.
The package, which was unveiled last week by Gov. Jerry Brown, Senate President Pro Tem de León, and Assembly Speaker Atkins, passed with bipartisan support, and now goes to the Governor for his signature.
“The impacts of the drought have been felt especially hard in our District,” said Dodd. “Passing this emergency drought relief package was a critical move towards protecting our water supply, and consequently, our economic and environmental security.”
The package, totaling approximately $1 billion, expedites bond funding from Proposition 1 and earlier bonds and other funding sources to help ensure that all Californians have access to clean, sustainable water.
Included in the package is the establishment of the Office of Sustainable Water Solutions designed to promote permanent and sustainable drinking water and wastewater treatment programs for smaller and disproportionately impacted communities.
Additionally, the package includes water use efficiency grants for agricultural and urban water users, emergency water supply and education, support for water recycling, and critical operations to protect fish and wildlife.
Dodd joined with other area legislators in advocating for programs that will benefit our region and our state as a whole.
Many of the communities in the Fourth Assembly District should be able to take advantage of these new resources.
Included in the package is $17 million in emergency food aid distributed to local and regional food banks for agricultural areas with high unemployment due to drought and idled farmworkers, including Lake, Yolo and Colusa counties.
“We need to ensure clean water is available in the midst of this drought and any future droughts. This package will work to address immediate problems and get started on major projects, like water recycling,” Dodd said. “I will be working with my colleagues to evaluate these efforts and take further action to protect our economy and our environment through this drought and future droughts.”
Bill Dodd represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all or portions of Yolo, Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Solano and Colusa counties. Learn more about the district at www.asm.ca.gov/dodd .
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Two people were fatally shot in a Clearlake neighborhood on Thursday night.
The incident was first reported just before 8:30 p.m. in the 16400 block of 35th Avenue, with firefighters dispatched to a medical aid for two gunshot victims, according to radio reports.
Clearlake Police Sgt. Nick Bennett confirmed to Lake County News shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday that the two shooting victims had died.
Bennett also said at that time that police had one suspect detained.
With police still in the midst of their response, Bennett said he didn't have additional information to offer late Thursday.
Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta had called for two air ambulances to be dispatched while en route to the scene.
However, shortly after arriving at the location, Sapeta told Central Dispatch to cancel both air ambulances, calling instead for ground rescue units.
During the initial response police put out a “be on the lookout” alert over the air for a white Toyota Tundra with four Hispanic males in connection to the shooting.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Upper Lake's two school district boards met jointly on Wednesday night to continue the work of reviewing and approving the criteria for a possible unification.
The two boards – for the Upper Lake Union High School District and the Upper Lake Union Elementary District – met for nearly two and a half hours, with an audience of about 20 audience members, including Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg and Lake County Board of Education members David Browning, Mark Cooper and Patricia Hicks.
Falkenberg and his board will play significant roles in the process starting this summer if the two boards take separate June votes to go forward with the unification.
If approved, the unification which would take place in the 2016-17 school year. With just over 800 students, it would still be the smallest unified district in the county, according to district officials.
The two districts must consider 10 criteria before taking those June votes. At a March 4 joint meeting, the boards approved the first three criteria: the reorganized districts will be adequate in terms of number of pupils enrolled; the districts are each organized on the basis of a substantial community identity; the proposal will result in an equitable division of property and facilities of the original district or districts.
They also discussed the next three, which staff presented reports on Wednesday night.
Upper Lake High Principal/Superintendent Patrick Iaccino, Upper Lake Elementary Principal/Superintendent Valerie Gardner and Lucerne Elementary Principal/Superintendent Mike Brown have been preparing the criteria analysis to present to the boards.
Although Lucerne Elementary has indicated that it would not participate in a unification, because its students attend Upper Lake Brown has been taking part in the meetings and participating in information gathering.
On Wednesday, Iaccino presented the fourth criteria, which addresses the potential for segregation and discrimination in a unification process.
Iaccino said the proposed unification would cause no change to the ethnic makeup of the student bodies of the schools.
“In reality the three schools remain the same. There's nothing that's changing other than the proposed unification of the two districts,” he said.
Brown presented criteria No. 5, which addresses whether there will be substantial increases in costs to the state.
“Funding would basically stay the same from the state,” said Brown, with no projected drop in funding due to unification.
In discussing criteria No. 6, regarding a sound educational program, Gardner said that district officials have been asked a lot about what unification would do. “What doors would it open?”
Gardner said unification would provide the new district with a common vision for educating students, and offers “the opportunity to think out of the box.”
While Gardner said the elementary district has had tremendous improvements, she questioned, “Are we cohesive in how we're meeting the needs of our kids?”
She said unification isn't just about increasing articulation in curriculum and development staff. “It's really about a much bigger plan.”
Regarding the sixth criteria, Upper Lake High Board President Keith Austin explained how his board gets updates on the work of The Hub, a program that provides educational, social and health support services for students and families in need.
He said The Hub has opened his eyes to what the two districts can accomplish when they put their heads together and share resources.
Upper Lake Elementary Board member Diane Plante questioned why the analysis on the sixth criteria wasn't stronger. “It just seems like this is really generic.”
Gardner said it could be expanded, with programs like The Hub added into it. Austin said he liked the idea about adding in details, but pointed out that the criteria is very simple, as was the answer.
In looking at samples from other districts, Gardner said they didn't get into detail when submitting answers to the criteria to the state. Plante said she was OK with the analysis if it met the criteria.
The two boards then unanimously approved those three criteria before hearing presentations on the next three.
Iaccino described the seventh criteria, which covers school housing costs. He said the elementary district owes no bonds while the high school district does for the significant campus revitalization done a few years ago. However, there are no plans to add a new school or take out another bond.
Regarding the eighth criteria, increase in property value, Gardner said there is no anticipated impact on property values as a result of unification.
Brown introduced the ninth criteria regarding fiscal management and status, which Austin said was the elephant in the room. “It's the thing we're worried about.”
The high school and elementary district fiscal officers – Sue Milhaupt and Becky Jeffries, respectively – presented an overview of the numbers.
Milhaupt said the state and county want to make sure a unification move will be sound financially, and that the districts aren’t in financial trouble and trying to unify merely to improve their situations.
The two women led the boards through a review of the districts' current finances. Their report begins on page 12 of the agenda packet posted below.
The report showed that both districts had $4.4 million in general fund restricted/unrestricted expenditures in 2014. They also went over fiscal trends for the districts over the last several years.
“Both districts are very stable,” said Milhaupt.
In addition, both districts have built up healthy reserves. The elementary district is required by the state to have a 4-percent economic uncertainty reserve while the high school district must have a 5-percent reserve. The reserves for each of the districts are 8 percent.
The fiscal report also touched on health insurance caps and negotiation agreements before moving into projected one-time startup costs for unification.
Milhaupt and Jeffries estimated those costs would total $27,000 for attorney fees, new signage, board policy development, new letterhead and other printing, district Web site development, board stipends and data merging.
Other tasks that would need to be accomplished – including development of a mission statement and goals, a new logo, development of new union contracts, review and consolidation of all contracts, and consolidation of deeds and pink slips – didn't have an estimated cost. Jeffries said many of them could be done in-house with existing staff.
Milhaupt and Jeffries also presented different staffing scenarios, emphasizing they were only examples, with the final organizational structure to be determined by the new district's board.
The scenarios included the current situation for both districts, with a total of 84.35 full-time employees, of which 46.3 are credentialed – or teaching – positions, and 38.05 classified positions, which include secretaries, support staff, janitors and cafeteria personnel.
Over fiscal years 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, the analysis showed that total staff costs for the two separate districts would grow from just over $6 million to $6.4 million.
In the two alternate scenarios, the number of teaching positions remains the same but they estimated a drop in classified positions to 33.97.
The first of those two alternate scenarios shows staff costs for fiscal years 2016-17 through 2018-19 ranging from $6.1 million to $6.2 million and back to $6.1 million in the third year.
The second scenario estimates that over the first three years the new district would have staffing costs of just over $6 million, rising to $6.2 million and then rolling back to a little more than $6 million.
Gardner said that school districts have to analyze their workflow year by year. Because the law requires that in a unification scenario classified positions are protected for two years, she said that would give the district time to assess its workload and determine how many positions it would need.
Rich Swaney, an Upper Lake High Board member, said Jeffries' and Milhaupt's presentation was excellent. He acknowledged there will be hidden costs and the board will need guidance.
“I don't see any adverse financial effects,” he said.
The two boards will next meet jointly on April 22. A 10th criteria – which covers any additional issues that may be required by the boards – is still to be discussed.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
032515 Unification Board Packet