article_snippet: Astronomers have sought the driving force behind these massive molecular outflows for years, and now a team of University of Maryland scientists has found an answer.
article_snippet: The study found that these AGN winds are powerful enough to drive the large molecular outflows that reach to the edges of the galaxy's borders.
article_snippet: Although theorists have suspected a connection between AGN winds and molecular outflows before, The study is the first to confirm this link. '
article_snippet: This is the first galaxy in which we can see both the wind from the active galactic nucleus and the large-scale outflow of molecular gas at the same time,' said lead author Dr Francesco Tombesi, an assistant research scientist in the University of Maryland's astronomy department.
article_snippet: An alternate theory says that active star formation near the galactic centre could drive these outflows.
article_snippet: Star formation alone can't explain this intense concentration of energy, leading the researchers to conclude that the AGN winds must be the primary driver.