Black hole physics. Black hole lightning due to particle acceleration at subhorizon scales.
Supermassive black holes with masses of millions to billions of solar masses are commonly found in the centers of galaxies. Astronomers seek to image jet formation using radio interferometry but still suffer from insufficient angular resolution. An alternative method to resolve small structures is to measure the time variability of their emission. Here we report on gamma-ray observations of the radio galaxy IC 310 obtained with the MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) telescopes, revealing variability with doubling time scales faster than 4.8 min. Causality constrains the size of the emission region to be smaller than 20% of the gravitational radius of its central black hole. We suggest that the emission is associated with pulsar-like particle acceleration by the electric field across a magnetospheric gap at the base of the radio jet.
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
J
J
Aleksić
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
S
S
Ansoldi
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
L A
LA
Antonelli
Università di Siena and INFN Pisa, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
P
P
Antoranz
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
A
A
Babic
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
P
P
Bangale
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
J A
JA
Barrio
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain. Present address: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA, and Department of Physics and Department of Astronomy, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
J
J
Becerra González
University of Łódz', PL-90236 Lodz, Poland.
W
W
Bednarek
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, D-15738 Zeuthen, Germany.
E
E
Bernardini
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
B
B
Biasuzzi
ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
A
A
Biland
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
O
O
Blanch
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
S
S
Bonnefoy
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
G
G
Bonnoli
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
F
F
Borracci
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany. Present address: Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
T
T
Bretz
Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
E
E
Carmona
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
A
A
Carosi
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
P
P
Colin
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
E
E
Colombo
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
J L
JL
Contreras
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
J
J
Cortina
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
S
S
Covino
Università di Siena and INFN Pisa, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
P
P
Da Vela
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
F
F
Dazzi
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
A
A
De Angelis
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, D-15738 Zeuthen, Germany.
G
G
De Caneva
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
B
B
De Lotto
Institute of Space Sciences, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain.
E
E
de Oña Wilhelmi
Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
C
C
Delgado Mendez
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
D
D
Dominis Prester
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
D
D
Dorner
Università di Padova and INFN, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
M
M
Doro
Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany.
S
S
Einecke
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany. deisenacher@astro.uni-wuerzburg.de jsitarek@ifae.es mannheim@astro.uni-wuerzburg.de.
D
D
Eisenacher
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
D
D
Elsaesser
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
M V
MV
Fonseca
Unitat de Física de les Radiacions, Departament de Física, and Centro de Estudios e Investigación Espaciales-Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
L
L
Font
Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany.
K
K
Frantzen
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
C
C
Fruck
Universitat de Barcelona, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya-Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
D
D
Galindo
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
R J
RJ
García López
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, D-15738 Zeuthen, Germany.
M
M
Garczarczyk
Unitat de Física de les Radiacions, Departament de Física, and Centro de Estudios e Investigación Espaciales-Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
D
D
Garrido Terrats
Unitat de Física de les Radiacions, Departament de Física, and Centro de Estudios e Investigación Espaciales-Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
M
M
Gaug
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
N
N
Godinović
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
A
A
González Muñoz
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, D-15738 Zeuthen, Germany.
S R
SR
Gozzini
Institute of Space Sciences, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain. Present address: Institut für Astro- und Teilchenphysik, Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
D
D
Hadasch
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
Y
Y
Hanabata
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
M
M
Hayashida
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
J
J
Herrera
ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
D
D
Hildebrand
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
J
J
Hose
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
D
D
Hrupec
University of Łódz', PL-90236 Lodz, Poland.
W
W
Idec
Finnish MAGIC Consortium, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku and Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland.
V
V
Kadenius
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
H
H
Kellermann
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
K
K
Kodani
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
Y
Y
Konno
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
J
J
Krause
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
H
H
Kubo
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
J
J
Kushida
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
A
A
La Barbera
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
D
D
Lelas
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
N
N
Lewandowska
Finnish MAGIC Consortium, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku and Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland. Present address: Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO (FINCA), Turku, Finland.
E
E
Lindfors
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
S
S
Lombardi
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
F
F
Longo
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
M
M
López
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
R
R
López-Coto
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
A
A
López-Oramas
Deceased.
E
E
Lorenz
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
I
I
Lozano
Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, BG-1784 Sofia, Bulgaria.
M
M
Makariev
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, D-15738 Zeuthen, Germany.
K
K
Mallot
Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, BG-1784 Sofia, Bulgaria.
G
G
Maneva
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy. Present address: Astrophysics Science Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400085, India.
N
N
Mankuzhiyil
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany. deisenacher@astro.uni-wuerzburg.de jsitarek@ifae.es mannheim@astro.uni-wuerzburg.de.
K
K
Mannheim
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
L
L
Maraschi
Universitat de Barcelona, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya-Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
B
B
Marcote
Università di Padova and INFN, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
M
M
Mariotti
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
M
M
Martínez
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
D
D
Mazin
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
U
U
Menzel
Università di Siena and INFN Pisa, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
J M
JM
Miranda
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
R
R
Mirzoyan
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
A
A
Moralejo
Universitat de Barcelona, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya-Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
P
P
Munar-Adrover
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
D
D
Nakajima
University of Łódz', PL-90236 Lodz, Poland.
A
A
Niedzwiecki
Finnish MAGIC Consortium, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku and Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland. Present address: Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO (FINCA), Turku, Finland.
K
K
Nilsson
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
K
K
Nishijima
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
K
K
Noda
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
R
R
Orito
Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany.
A
A
Overkemping
Università di Padova and INFN, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
S
S
Paiano
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
M
M
Palatiello
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
D
D
Paneque
Università di Siena and INFN Pisa, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
R
R
Paoletti
Universitat de Barcelona, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya-Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
J M
JM
Paredes
Universitat de Barcelona, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya-Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
X
X
Paredes-Fortuny
Università di Udine and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) Trieste, I-33100 Udine, Italy, and Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Trieste, I-34127 Trieste, Italy.
M
M
Persic
Finnish MAGIC Consortium, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku and Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland.
J
J
Poutanen
Università di Pisa and INFN Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
P G
PG
Prada Moroni
ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
E
E
Prandini
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
I
I
Puljak
Finnish MAGIC Consortium, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku and Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland.
R
R
Reinthal
Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany.
W
W
Rhode
Universitat de Barcelona, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya-Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
M
M
Ribó
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain.
J
J
Rico
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
J
J
Rodriguez Garcia
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
S
S
Rügamer
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
T
T
Saito
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
K
K
Saito
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
K
K
Satalecka
Università di Padova and INFN, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
V
V
Scalzotto
Universidad Complutense, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
V
V
Scapin
Università di Padova and INFN, I-35131 Padova, Italy.
C
C
Schultz
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
T
T
Schweizer
Università di Pisa and INFN Pisa, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.
S N
SN
Shore
Finnish MAGIC Consortium, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku and Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland.
A
A
Sillanpää
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain. deisenacher@astro.uni-wuerzburg.de jsitarek@ifae.es mannheim@astro.uni-wuerzburg.de.
J
J
Sitarek
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
I
I
Snidaric
University of Łódz', PL-90236 Lodz, Poland.
D
D
Sobczynska
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
F
F
Spanier
Institut de Física d'Altes Energies, Campus UAB, E-08193 Bellaterra, Spain. Present address: School of Chemistry and Physics, University of Adelaide, Adelaide 5005, Australia.
V
V
Stamatescu
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
A
A
Stamerra
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
T
T
Steinbring
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
J
J
Storz
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
M
M
Strzys
Finnish MAGIC Consortium, Tuorla Observatory, University of Turku and Department of Physics, University of Oulu, Finland.
L
L
Takalo
Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
H
H
Takami
INAF National Institute for Astrophysics, I-00136 Rome, Italy.
F
F
Tavecchio
Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy, BG-1784 Sofia, Bulgaria.
P
P
Temnikov
Croatian MAGIC Consortium, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, University of Rijeka and University of Split, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
T
T
Terzić
Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, E-38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain.
D
D
Tescaro
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany. Japanese MAGIC Consortium, Division of Physics and Astronomy, Kyoto University, Japan.
M
M
Teshima
Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany.
J
J
Thaele
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
O
O
Tibolla
ICREA and Institute of Space Sciences, E-08193 Barcelona, Spain.
D F
DF
Torres
Max-Planck-Institut für Physik, D-80805 München, Germany.
T
T
Toyama
Università dell'Insubria and INFN Milano Bicocca, Como, I-22100 Como, Italy.
A
A
Treves
Technische Universität Dortmund, D-44221 Dortmund, Germany.
M
M
Uellenbeck
ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.
P
P
Vogler
Universitat de Barcelona, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya-Universitat de Barcelona, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.
R
R
Zanin
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany.
M
M
Kadler
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany. Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, ECAP, D-96049 Bamberg, Germany.
R
R
Schulz
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, D-53121 Bonn, Germany. Observatori Astronòmic, Universitat de València, E-46980 Paterna, València, Spain. Departament d'Astronomia i Astrofísica, Universitat de València, E-46100 Burjassot, València, Spain.
E
E
Ros
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie, D-53121 Bonn, Germany.
U
U
Bach
Universität Würzburg, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany. Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, ECAP, D-96049 Bamberg, Germany.
F
F
Krauß
Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, Astronomisches Institut der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, ECAP, D-96049 Bamberg, Germany.
J
J
Wilms