Continuous video of black hole radio observations challenges shock wave theory

A team of researchers has developed an AI-based method called kine, which converts scattered radio observations into a continuous, polarized video. The method was applied to blazar 3C 345, and the results challenged the existing understanding of the jet's motion. The video achieved a resolution about four times higher than traditional methods and provided a detailed view of the jet's local plasma motion. The study found that the bright features did not indicate shock waves, as previously thought, but instead showed local brightness and magnetization, with the knots moving at speeds similar to the surrounding plasma. The results apply specifically to 3C 345 and not all black hole jets. The method offers a new way to study jet kinematics and could lead to revisions in the shock-wave theory for other sources. The study was published in Nature and involves 116 VLBI observations from the MOJAVE monitoring program.

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