How is Matter Ejected from an Event Horizon Around a Black Hole?

-- | July 3, 2016

Question: Recently visited the VLA and was interested by the picture of the jets from a black hole (I think it was from Hercules). My question is, how is the matter ejected given that matter can not escape from the event horizon? Is it due to the spin, or lack of at the poles and the charge of the particle? — David

Answer: As you surmised, the jets from the nucleus of a galaxy (like the one shown in the picture you saw at the VLA site, which is called Hercules A), which contains a black hole, originate from the disk of matter which orbits the accreting black hole. The jets are generated by the need for the accretion disk around the black hole to release the energy generated by the frictional and magnetic energy produced within the accretion disk. Since the path of least resistance (lowest angular momentum) is along the poles of the accretion disk, the jets propagate parallel to the rotational axis of the accretion disk

Jeff Mangum

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