determining the age of fermi bubles using … · determining the age of fermi bubles using...
TRANSCRIPT
DETERMINING THE AGE OF FERMI BUBLES USINGHYDRODYNAMIC SIMULATIONS
Aidas Sadauskas1, Kastytis Zubovas1,2
1Faculty of Physics, Vilnius University, Lithuania2Department of Fundamental Research, Centre for Physical Sciences and Technology, Lithuania
Active Galactic nuclei (AGN) are arguably one of the most important ingredients in galaxy formation andevolution theories. Some observational facts indicate that the Milky Way’s central supermassive black holeSgr A* might have been active in the recent past. Giant gamma-ray structures known as the Fermi bubbles,discovered in 2010, could be one of the Sgr A* activity footprints. However, the origin of these bubbles stillremains debatable even eight years after their discovery. Therefore understanding the origin and evolution ofthese structures may help us better understand how AGN feedback influences host galaxies.
In this work we study the morphology and kinematics of the Fermi bubbles. Using a hydrodynamic model,we aim to determine the age and lifetime of these structures, assuming that their origin is wind feedback froman accretion episode of Sgr A*.
Fig. 1. Evolution of Fermi bubble morphology: left - 6 Myr, center - 10 Myr, right - 20 Myr.
We conclude, based on kinematics and morphology of the simulated bubbles, that the age of the observedstructures should be between 6 and 10 Myr. Also the lifetime of Fermi bubble structures should not exceed 20Myr. Our research contributes to the understanding of the history of Galactic evolution and the formation ofFermi bubbles and their analogues in other galaxies.