University of Waterloo researchers provide clearer look at black holes

The magnetic field of a black hole at the centre of our galaxy has been mapped for the very first time thanks to researchers from the University of Waterloo.

Dr. Avery Broderick, professor at the University of Waterloo’s Department of Physics and Astronomy leads THEMIS, a framework that creates clearer images of black holes, giving a clearer look at what happens just outside of these dense space objects.

THEMIS has revealed details in the imaging of a distant black hole called ‘Sagittarius A’, highlighting its plasma ring and the magnetic field.

The images of ‘Sagittarius A’ were captured by the Global Event Horizon telescope and released in 2022.

According to the University of Waterloo, this research is helping to “tell the story of black hole evolution and bring the unruly core of our galactic neighborhood into sharp focus”.