Astrophysicists have identified a new way for ultra-massive black holes to form. These objects, the most massive known in the universe, are found at the centers of galaxies like supermassive black holes, but have more than five billion solar masses.

Writing in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, a team of scientists said they have traced the origin of ultra-massive black holes to the "cosmic noon" of the Universe, around 10 to 11 billion years ago. This is a period when star formation, active galactic nuclei and supermassive black holes reach their maximum activity.

The researchers used a simulation to model the process, studying extreme mergers of massive galaxies during the cosmic noon.
They discovered three ultra-massive black holes assembled during this period, which could be the ancestors of the rare ultra-massive black holes observed today.

The results suggest that ultramassive black holes of less than 50 billion solar masses can form during rare massive multi-galaxy merger events.

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