Comments on: Combined Earth-Space radio array discovers superhot quasar interior

By: Garry

Garry — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 20:39:08 +0000

A hundred times hotter would seem to make a huge, huge difference.

For example, given that the model for heat radiation states that energy radiated is proportional to (absolute temperature) to the fourth power, cranking up temperature by a factor 100 would increase radiant energy by a factor of 100 million!

Either the model is inaccurate, or there is a lot more radiant energy out there than we thought, which has to have some dramatic effects.

By: Tom Billings

Tom Billings — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 03:17:45 +0000

One of the things I’d like to see the space science community doing more with is space-based interferometry, all through the spectrum. If this result holds up, its push to the theory side of physics could be tremendous. Among other things, this could be showing what happens when the Dark Matter/Dark Energy supposedly dominating the mass of the universe interacts with these galactic black holes.

The combination of resolution and sensitivity shown possible here should make this a new standard for space-based astronomy. True, the computational and metrical requirements become extreme as you go to shorter wavelengths, but the ability to peer into other planetary and galactic systems is what will push theory hardest.

By: wodun

wodun — Wed, 30 Mar 2016 03:00:34 +0000

OT: A guy rammed his car into the National Radio Astronomy Observatory on Mauna Kea. The articles says no link to the TMT protesters, but that seems unlikely.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/e353bcc4f07841dc84646590ad7ffcb5/man-arrested-mauna-kea-telescope-facility-rammed-vehicle