'Wobbling Black Hole' Most Extreme Example Ever Detected (phys.org) 21
Researchers at Cardiff University have identified a peculiar twisting motion in the orbits of two colliding black holes, an exotic phenomenon predicted by Einstein's theory of gravity. Phys.Org reports: Their study, which is published in Nature and led by Professor Mark Hannam, Dr. Charlie Hoy and Dr. Jonathan Thompson, reports that this is the first time this effect, known as precession, has been seen in black holes, where the twisting is 10 billion times faster than in previous observations. The binary black hole system was found through gravitational waves in early 2020 in the Advanced LIGO and Virgo detectors. One of the black holes, 40 times bigger than our Sun, is likely the fastest spinning black hole to be found through gravitational waves. And unlike all previous observations, the rapidly revolving black hole distorted space and time so much that the binary's entire orbit wobbled back and forth. This form of precession is specific to Einstein's theory of general relativity. These results confirm its existence in the most extreme physical event we can observe, the collision of two black holes.
In the fastest example previously measured from orbiting neutron stars called binary pulsars, it took over 75 years for the orbit to precess. The black-hole binary in this study, colloquially known as GW200129 (named after the date it was observed, January 29, 2020), precesses several times every second -- an effect 10 billion times stronger than measured previously. "So far most black holes we've found with gravitational waves have been spinning fairly slowly," said Dr. Charlie Hoy, a researcher at Cardiff University during this study, and now at the University of Portsmouth. "The larger black hole in this binary, which was about 40 times more massive than the Sun, was spinning almost as fast as physically possible. Our current models of how binaries form suggest this one was extremely rare, maybe a one in a thousand event. Or it could be a sign that our models need to change."
In the fastest example previously measured from orbiting neutron stars called binary pulsars, it took over 75 years for the orbit to precess. The black-hole binary in this study, colloquially known as GW200129 (named after the date it was observed, January 29, 2020), precesses several times every second -- an effect 10 billion times stronger than measured previously. "So far most black holes we've found with gravitational waves have been spinning fairly slowly," said Dr. Charlie Hoy, a researcher at Cardiff University during this study, and now at the University of Portsmouth. "The larger black hole in this binary, which was about 40 times more massive than the Sun, was spinning almost as fast as physically possible. Our current models of how binaries form suggest this one was extremely rare, maybe a one in a thousand event. Or it could be a sign that our models need to change."
Editors, anyone? (Score:1)
The black-hole binary in this study, colloquially known as GW200129 (named after the date it was observed, January 29, 2020)...
Sigh. Doesn't anyone there read anything they post? 200129 != Jan 29, 2020.
Re: Editors, anyone? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I'm guessing you're used to the American notation of dates? Because that notation as YYMMDD is extremely common elsewhere.
Re:Editors, anyone? (Score:4, Informative)
Doesn't anyone there read anything they post?
They do, actually.
200129 != Jan 29, 2020.
Except it is. 2020-01-29 with the year shortened to 20 (as per the notation used in the naming scheme) becomes 20-01-29 and 200129.
Congratulations at demonstrating your ignorance and that you are also arrogant enough to presume that you are right without spending a single thought contemplating that you might not be and looking things up before you make a fool of yourself.
Well done. Sigh, indeed.
Re: Editors, anyone? (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
What do you think it means? The first day of the 20th month of 1929?
binary black holes? (Score:2)
Re: binary black holes? (Score:2)
LIGO has observed several of black hole collisions. I believe the one discussed here was also a collision.
https://www.cnet.com/google-am... [cnet.com]
Re: (Score:2)
And we already know how that sounds!
BoioioioiweeeeBLEEP.
Will it tear itself apart? (Score:2)
If this black hole is wobbling that quickly/violently/whatever, is it possible the centripidal force could tear it apar? Or is the gravitational pull of all that mass sufficient to keep it together over the long run?
Re: Will it tear itself apart? (Score:2, Interesting)
Given that it's a singularity, I don't think there's any spatial extent about which it can tear/spin apart.
I would wonder, however, about gases/dust falling into the black hole, and whether they exhibit weird behavior due to frame dragging by the black hole.
Re: Will it tear itself apart? (Score:5, Insightful)
Gravitation theory breaks down, the math indicates this by representing it as singularity; that doesn't mean it is a singularity.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
Even if it did, it would do so at, at most, the speed of light, which would still be not enough for any material to exit the event horizon.
Re: (Score:2)
Centrifugal force (Score:2)
I don't have a physics background, so I have a question;
The summary mentions that the black hole "was spinning almost as fast as physically possible". Is that an indication that centrifugal force (if the black hole is spinning fast enough) would somehow pull apart a black hole?
Best quote of TFS (Score:2)
"Our current models of how binaries form suggest this one was extremely rare, maybe a one in a thousand event. Or it could be a sign that our models need to change."
Yay science! Love that "Or".