During the past week, NuSTAR observed the nearby active galactic nucleus (AGN) I Zwicky 1 in coordination with the JAXA/ESA/NASA’s XRISM and ESA’s XMM-Newton X-ray observatories. I Zwicky 1 is a unique AGN from which we can learn a lot about the fundamental physics at work as material spirals into a black hole, and the processes by which supermassive black holes grow and are able to have a profound impact on their host galaxies by AGN feedback. In this AGN, we observe X-rays reflecting off the innermost regions of the accretion disk, allowing us to probe the extreme environment just outside the event horizon of the black hole. In addition, I Zwicky 1 is seen to launch an ultrafast outflow: a wind from the inner accretion disk reaching velocities up to 30% of the speed of light. These outflows carry significant energy into their host galaxies and understanding how they are launched is an important step towards understanding AGN/host galaxy feedback. I Zwicky 1 is often seen to launch X-ray flares originating in the corona, and the outflows are seen to evolve in response to these flares. Through these observations, important new insights are expected into the structure of the accretion disk around a rapidly growing black hole, the launching mechanism of the ultrafast outflows, and the connection between these outflows and the innermost regions of the accretion disk and the corona.

Author: Dan Wilkins (Research Assistant Professor, The Ohio State University)