JWST uncovers new kind of black holes linking classical quasars and 'Little Red Dots'
Astronomers have identified a previously unseen class of supermassive black holes in the early universe by combining Subaru Telescope data with follow-up observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). These dust-enshrouded quasars, dating to within the first billion years after the Big Bang, bridge the gap between well-known, brightly shining quasars and the faint 'Little Red Dots' JWST first spotted in late 2022.
For over a decade, ground-based surveys with Subaru flagged galaxies whose light signatures hinted at more than just star formation, but technical limits prevented a definitive identification. By re-examining 13 of these candidates using JWST's sensitive infrared spectrograph, an international team detected the telltale broad emission lines and high-velocity gas flows that confirm active galactic nuclei powered by supermassive black holes cloaked in heavy dust.
Of those 13 galaxies, nine revealed these hidden quasars, whose intrinsic brightness rivals that of classical quasars but whose optical light is heavily reddened by surrounding dust—mirroring the characteristics of the 'Little Red Dots.' Lead author Yoshiki Matsuoka of Ehime University remarked, 'We were surprised to find that obscured quasars are so abundant in the early universe,' suggesting that many young black holes have eluded detection in previous surveys.
Independent expert Jorryt Matthee of IST Austria, who was not involved in the study, praised the robustness of the spectral data and noted that this new population likely represents the 'missing link' between the rare, brilliant quasars and the smaller, dimmer red dots. As more of these objects are confirmed, astronomers will be able to estimate the masses of their black holes and host galaxies, offering fresh insights into how the earliest galactic giants grew.
Building on these promising results, Matsuoka's team plans to use JWST to study roughly 30 more Subaru-selected targets. By mapping the environments and gas dynamics around these hidden quasars, researchers hope to unravel the origins of the Little Red Dots and refine our understanding of black-hole evolution at cosmic dawn.
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