Indian Scientist Discovers Loktak Protocluster

A Manipuri astrophysicist, Ronaldo Laishram, led an international team that discovered a galaxy protocluster dated to 12.6 billion years ago. The structure was named the Loktak Protocluster after Loktak Lake in Manipur, and it existed when the Universe was about 1.2 billion years old.

What is a Protocluster?

A protocluster is an early-stage concentration of galaxies that later develops into a galaxy cluster. Galaxy clusters are among the largest gravitationally bound structures in the Universe and can contain hundreds or thousands of galaxies.

Loktak Protocluster: Key Features

The Loktak Protocluster contains four connected concentrations of galaxies. The structure was compared with the interconnected floating phumdis of Loktak Lake, which are masses of vegetation, soil, and organic matter found in the lake. Ronaldo Laishram is a researcher at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. The discovery used observations from the Subaru Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope.

Early Universe and Galaxy Evolution

The Universe is estimated to be about 13.8 billion years old. A structure dated to 12.6 billion years ago belongs to the early Universe and provides data on galaxy formation during that period. Galaxies in dense environments can evolve differently from galaxies in less crowded regions. Environmental effects on galaxies are studied through factors such as gravity, gas supply, and interactions with nearby galaxies.

Important Facts for Exams

• Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in north-eastern India and is located in Manipur.
• Phumdis are floating masses of vegetation, soil, and organic matter found in Loktak Lake.
• The James Webb Space Telescope is a space-based infrared observatory launched in 2021.
• The Subaru Telescope is an 8.2-metre optical-infrared telescope operated in Hawaii.

The findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. The discovery adds a named high-redshift structure to studies of galaxy formation in the early Universe.