IGR J17091-3624

IGR J17091-3624 is a binary system which consists of a normal star and a black hole with a stellar mass. In theoretical terms, that’s right at the edge where possibility of being a black hole begins.

In this binary system, escaping gas from the “normal” star flows across space in the direction of the black hole. This action creates a disk where friction heats it to millions of degrees – releasing X-rays. Periodic changes in the strength of the X-ray emissions point towards the actions taking place within the gas disk. Fast changes occur at the event horizon… the point of no return.

Current observations have it becoming active every few years. Most of these patterns represent cycles of accumulation and ejection in an unstable disk, and we now see them in IGR J17091.

The regular pulsations indicate IGR J17091 has a particle jet. Records show this “heartbeat” occurs about every five seconds. Numbers like this would make it a very tiny black hole.

See also

• Binary GRS 1915