By Aazam
October 16, 2022
The first investigation of dust molecules in active galaxies was conducted by Oxford University utilizing preliminary James Webb Space Telescope images
This study is the first from the United Kingdom to use spectroscopic data from the Mid-Infrared Instrument on the JWST to describe how galaxies grow and change
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are typical dust molecules and crucial astronomy tools
This new investigation, conducted by Dr. Ismael Garca-Bernete of Oxford University's Department of Physics, uses JWST's cutting-edge equipment to describe PAH characteristics in the nuclear area of three luminous active galaxies
The study used spectroscopic data from JWST's MIRI, which analyzes 5–28 micron light
Despite the fact that very intense photons could theoretically shatter them, the investigation showed that PAH molecules can really endure in this location
One cause might be the fact that the molecules are shielded by a lot of molecular gas in the nuclear area
It is astounding to consider that after seeing PAH molecules in a galaxy's nucleus, the next step is to examine a broader sample of active galaxies with various characteristics
This will help us better understand the characteristics of PAH molecules in the nuclear region and how they survive there
Such understanding is essential to employing PAHs as a reliable method for determining the rate of star formation in galaxies and, consequently, how galaxies change over time