[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” background_image=”https:\/\/www.ieec.cat\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/slider-comunicacio.jpg” max_height=”130px” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”24px||11px|||” da_disable_devices=”off|off|off” global_colors_info=”{}” da_is_popup=”off” da_exit_intent=”off” da_has_close=”on” da_alt_close=”off” da_dark_close=”off” da_not_modal=”on” da_is_singular=”off” da_with_loader=”off” da_has_shadow=”on”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Unitats de recerca” module_class=”ieec-orgs” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”|700||on|||||” text_font_size=”16px” header_font=”|700|||||||” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_font_size_tablet=”28px” header_font_size_phone=”26px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoiY3VzdG9tX21ldGFfb3JnYW5pemFjaW9uZXMiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImVuYWJsZV9odG1sIjoib2ZmIn19@[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_post_title author=”off” categories=”off” comments=”off” featured_image=”off” admin_label=”T\u00edtol i data” module_class=”ieec-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” title_font=”Cairo|300|||||||” title_font_size=”40px” meta_font=”||on||||||” meta_font_size=”16px” title_font_size_tablet=”35px” title_font_size_phone=”30px” title_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text admin_label=”Subt\u00edtols” module_class=”ieec-summary” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Source Sans Pro||on||||||” text_font_size=”24px” text_line_height=”1.1em” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”22px” text_font_size_phone=”20px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_post_title title=”off” meta=”off” module_class=”ieec-img-container” _builder_version=”4.27.2″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” border_width_top=”10px” border_color_top=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_post_title][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-img-footer” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_font_size=”15px” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”30px|20px|30px|20px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Artist impression illustrating a supermassive black hole with X-ray emission emanating from its inner region (pink) and ultrafast winds streaming from the surrounding disk (purple). <\/span>ESA<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Supermassive black holes lie at the centres of most galaxies. When they accrete matter, they can launch powerful winds that may heat or remove the gas needed to form stars, shaping the evolution of their host galaxies. A team led by researchers from the <\/span>Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia<\/span><\/a> (IEEC \u2014 Institut d\u2019Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) at the <\/span>Institute of Space Sciences<\/span><\/a> (ICE-CSIC) <\/span>detected for the first time an ultra-fast wind in a galaxy near the Milky Way that stopped forming stars about nine billion years ago<\/b>. The results have been published by <\/span>Astronomy & Astrophysics<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Winds moving faster than about 10,000 km\/s are known as \u2018ultra-fast outflows\u2019. They arise very close to actively feeding supermassive black holes and can carry enough energy to affect the gas from which stars form. Until now, these winds had been found almost exclusively in active galaxies that are still forming stars or are in the process of shutting down their star formation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n However, the galaxy studied, called KUG 1208+386, is fundamentally different. Its stellar population indicates that <\/span>the galaxy stopped forming stars around nine billion years ago, yet its central black hole remains active<\/b> and launches a wind at approximately 7% of the speed of light, about 21,000 km\/s. At this velocity, the wind travels over 200,000 times faster than an F-1 car at full speed and could circle the Earth in less than two seconds. In addition, X-ray observations reveal dense material surrounding the black hole, showing that a gas-rich environment can survive in the nucleus of an apparently \u2018dead\u2019 galaxy.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat surprised us is the strong contrast between the galaxy and its nucleus. The galaxy has been quiescent for billions of years, but its central black hole is still accreting material and driving a powerful wind,\u201d says Yerong Xu, first author and IEEC postdoctoral fellow at ICE-CSIC. \u201cIt shows that a galaxy can look \u2018dead\u2019 on large scales while remaining remarkably active at its very centre,\u201d he adds. \u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The ultra-fast wind was detected using archival X-ray observations obtained with XMM-Newton observatory of the <\/span>European Space Agency<\/span><\/a> (ESA) in 2009 and NASA\u2019s NuSTAR observatory in 2019, combined with optical spectra obtained by the <\/span>Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument<\/span><\/a> (DESI)\u2013in which the IEEC is involved\u2013in 2022 and released as part of DESI Data Release 1.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe discovery of ultra-fast outflows in a quiescent galaxy challenges the convention that these winds are exclusive to gas-rich or active star-forming galaxies. Both discoveries of a global quiescent galaxy and a gas-rich nuclear region imply that they are not directly related to the galaxy properties but depends more on the nuclear environment,\u201d says Mar Mezcua, IEEC researcher at the ICE-CSIC.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Astronomers generally think that black holes can influence their galaxies in two broad ways. During powerful phases of accretion, <\/span>radiation and winds can heat or remove gas, thereby suppressing star formation<\/b>. In galaxies that are already quiescent, radio jets are often thought to provide a longer-lasting \u201cmaintenance\u201d feedback by preventing gas from cooling and forming new stars. The discovery raises the possibility that black-hole winds could also contribute to this maintenance phase.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cOur results point to a possible wind-driven form of maintenance feedback,\u201d says V\u00edctor Rodr\u00edguez, ICE-CSIC PhD researcher. \u201cRather than shutting down star formation, these winds may help an already-quiescent galaxy remain quiescent by preventing gas from cooling and forming new stars again.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_font_size=”21px” text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”#406fda” text_orientation=”center” width=”70%” width_tablet=”70%” width_phone=”70%” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”40px|50px|40px|50px|true|true” custom_padding_tablet=”40px|50px|40px|50px|true|true” custom_padding_phone=”30px|20px|30px|20px|true|true” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” text_font_size_tablet=”21px” text_font_size_phone=”19px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n \u201cA galaxy can look \u2018dead\u2019 on large scales while remaining remarkably active at its very centre,\u201d says Yerong Xu.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text module_class=”section-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This study advances our understanding of how galaxies stop forming stars and remain quiescent over billions of years, which is one of the central questions in modern astrophysics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The next step is <\/span>to determine whether KUG 1208+386 is an exceptional case or part of a larger population of quiescent galaxies with powerful black-hole winds<\/b>. By studying more galaxies with ultra-fast outflows, the researchers aim to understand which physical conditions favor the launching of these winds and whether host-galaxy properties can influence wind characteristics. <\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”M\u00e9s informaci\u00f3” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n More information<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-sub-text” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on||||” custom_margin=”20px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This research is presented in a paper entitled \u201c<\/span>First detection of ultra-fast outflows in a quiescent galaxy<\/span><\/a>\u201d, by <\/span>Xu, Y.<\/span> et al.<\/span><\/i>, to appear in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics on 8 September 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Enlla\u00e7os” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Links<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”ieec-sub-text” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”20px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n IEEC<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n ICE-CSIC<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_divider color=”#406fda” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Contactes” module_class=”ieec-sub-title” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Cairo|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#406fda” text_font_size=”20px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Contacts<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_5,3_5″ admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”2_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1.1em” link_font=”|700|||on|||#1a1140|” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ link_line_height=”1.4em” header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Castelldefels, Barcelona [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”|||20px|false|false” border_width_left=”1px” border_color_left=”#406fda” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” text_line_height=”1em” link_font=”|700|||on||||” link_text_color=”#1a1140″ header_4_font=”|700|||||||” header_4_text_color=”#1a1140″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row module_id=”ieec-about” module_class=”about-ieec” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”rgba(64,111,218,0.15)” global_module=”17324″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”20px|50px|20px|50px|true|true” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Sobre l’IEEC” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” header_2_font=”|700|||||||” header_2_font_size=”25px” custom_margin=”||10px||false|false” header_2_font_size_tablet=”23px” header_2_font_size_phone=”23px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||on||||||” link_font=”|700|||on||||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC \u2014 Institut d\u2019Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) promotes and coordinates space research and technology development in Catalonia for the benefit of society. IEEC fosters collaborations both locally and worldwide and is an efficient agent of knowledge, innovation and technology transfer. As a result of 30 years of high-quality research, done in collaboration with major international organisations, IEEC ranks among the best international research centres, focusing on areas such as: astrophysics, cosmology, planetary science, and Earth Observation. IEEC\u2019s engineering division develops instrumentation for ground- and space-based projects, and has extensive experience in working with private or public organisations from the aerospace and other innovation sectors.<\/p>\n The IEEC is a non-profit public sector foundation that was established in February 1996. It has a Board of Trustees composed of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Universitat Aut\u00f2noma de Barcelona (UAB), Universitat Polit\u00e8cnica de Catalunya \u00b7 BarcelonaTech (UPC), and the Spanish Research Council (CSIC). The IEEC is also a CERCA centre.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The galaxy, near to the Milky Way, stopped forming stars about nine billion years ago.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":48476,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"2880","footnotes":""},"categories":[110,74,98],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-48475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-highlighted-news-big","category-news","category-science"],"yoast_head":"\nBlack-hole winds shaping galaxies<\/h2>\n
Next steps<\/h2>\n
\n
IEEC Communication Office<\/h4>\n
E-mail: comunicacio@ieec.cat<\/a><\/p>\nLead Researcher at the IEEC<\/h4>\n
Yerong Xu<\/h4>\n
Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC)
E-mail: yerong@ieec.cat<\/a><\/p>\nMar Mezcua<\/h4>\n
Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC)
E-mail: mezcua@ieec.cat,<\/a> mezcua@ice.csic<\/a><\/p>\nAbout the IEEC<\/h2>\n