Dr. Bischetti wrote an article in the News and Views section of the Nature journal, on the SuperMassive Black Holes Dynamics.

A new study from the XRISM mission (NASA, JAXA, ESA) presents unprecedented observations of the quasar PDS 456, which hosts a supermassive black hole.

The black hole ejects gas at up to 30% of the speed of light, in the form of millions of distinct clouds. Previously, such winds were thought to be smooth and uniform, but XRISM’s high-resolution spectroscopy reveals a much more complex structure. This challenges standard models of galaxy evolution, which assume winds suppress star formation by heating and expelling gas.

Instead, individual gas clouds may avoid denser regions of the galaxy and escape into intergalactic space without transferring much energy or momentum. This could explain why some galaxies with active black holes and strong winds still form stars. The findings also suggest these winds may be produced in short, intermittent events rather than continuously.

Future observations and simulations using advanced telescopes will help determine whether this clumpy wind structure is common in more distant and younger black holes.