Magnetic funnel around a supermassive black hole

The accretion disc of hot plasma swirling around a supermassive black hole generates powerful magnetic fields. The disc's rotation twists the field into a funnel shape. These field lines constrict and direct the outflow of high-speed plasma from the black hole's vicinity. The result is a narrow, tapered, extragalactic jet.

Links:

• NASA Press release
• Image: Hubble follows spiral flow of black-hole-powered jet
• Video: Zooming into the black hole jet in M87