Black Ring Research Articles

Population dynamics of defective viral genomes of tomato black ring virus during host-to-host transmission.

Defective viral genomes (DVGs) have been identified in vivo and in vitro for different virus species infecting humans, animals, and plants. The ability to form DVGs during the passaging of virus in one host has been demonstrated, i.e., for tomato black ring virus (TBRV). In our research, RNA-Seq data obtained after TBRV passaging through a combination of four distinct host species were analyzed. Our results indicate that the level of DVG abundance varied across host plant combinations. Deletions were the most prevalent class of DVGs, with the domination of longer species. Additionally, the conserved junction sites in the TBRV genome were identified, resulting in the generation of identical deletions in independently evolved viral lineages. In summary, our findings provide significant insights into the origin and structure of DVGs of plant viruses. The obtained results will help in understanding viral evolution and host-virus interactions.

New construction of a vacuum doubly rotating black ring by the Ehlers transformation

Using the Ehlers transformation, we derive an exact solution for a doubly rotating black ring in five-dimensional vacuum Einstein theory. It is well known that the vacuum Einstein theory with three commuting Killing vector fields can be reduced to a nonlinear sigma model with SL(3,R) target space symmetry. As shown previously by Giusto and Saxena, the SO(2,1) subgroup in the SL(3,R) can generate a rotating solution from a static solution while preserving asymptotic flatness. This so-called Ehlers transformation actually transforms the five-dimensional Schwarzschild black hole into the five-dimensional Myers-Perry black hole. However, unlike the case with the black hole, applying this method directly to the static black ring or the Emparan-Reall black ring, does not yield a regular rotating black ring due to the emergence of a Dirac-Misner string singularity. To solve this undesirable issue, we use a singular vacuum solution of a rotating black ring/lens that already possesses a Dirac-Misner string singularity as the seed solution for the Ehlers transformation. The resulting solution is regular, indicating the absence of curvature singularities, conical singularities, orbifold singularities, Dirac-Misner string singularities, and closed timelike curves both on and outside the horizon. We show that this solution obtained by the Ehlers transformation coincides precisely with the Pomeransky-Sen’kov solution. We expect that applying this method to other theories may lead to the finding of new exact solutions, such as solutions for black lenses and capped black holes, as well as black ring configurations. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Exploring the possibility of testing the no-hair theorem with Minkowski-deformed regular hairy black holes via photon rings

In this paper, we investigate the optical appearance of a regular static spherically symmetric hairy black hole within the context of Minkowski deformation governed by the parameter α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document}. This black hole describes a hairy black hole with geometric deformations in the radial and temporal metric components, parameterized by α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document}. The optical appearance of the black hole, illuminated by a static thin accretion disk in three toy emission function models, exhibits distinctive shadows and photon rings. Our findings reveal that for static spherically symmetric hairy Minkowski-deformed regular black holes, the event horizon radius rh\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$r_h$$\\end{document}, photon sphere radius rph\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$r_{ph}$$\\end{document}, critical impact parameter bph\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$b_{ph}$$\\end{document}, and innermost stable circular orbit radius risco\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$r_{isco}$$\\end{document} all have a positive correlation with α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document}. These parameters affect the null geodesic trajectories, shadows, and the optical appearance of the photon rings illuminated by a static thin accretion disk around the black hole. Utilizing this, we obtained the optical appearance of this black hole when observed in the forward direction of the optical and geometric thin accretion disk models. In all three models, the radius of the photon ring images also shows a positive correlation with the parameter α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document}. Therefore, under the static spherically symmetric hairy Minkowski-deformed regular black hole, there is no degeneracy of photon rings dependent on the parameter α\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\alpha $$\\end{document}. Theoretically, this allows for the distinction of different spacetime metrics of hairy Minkowski-deformed regular black holes, providing a potential method for testing the no-hair theorem through future observations of black hole photon rings.

Quasinormal modes and universality of the Penrose limit of black hole photon rings

We study the physics of photon rings in a wide range of axisymmetric black holes admitting a separable Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the geodesics. Utilizing the Killing-Yano tensor, we derive the Penrose limit of the black holes, which describes the physics near the photon ring. The obtained plane wave geometry is directly linked to the frequency matrix of the massless wave equation, as well as the instabilities and Lyapunov exponents of the null geodesics. Consequently, the Lyapunov exponents and frequencies of the photon geodesics, along with the quasinormal modes, can be all extracted from a Hamiltonian in the Penrose limit plane wave metric. Additionally, we explore potential bounds on the Lyapunov exponent, the orbital and precession frequencies, in connection with the corresponding inverted harmonic oscillators and we discuss the possibility of photon rings serving as effective holographic horizons in a holographic duality framework for astrophysical black holes. Our formalism is applicable to spacetimes encompassing various types of black holes, including stationary ones like Kerr, Kerr-Newman, as well as static black holes such as Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordström, among others.

The shadows of quintessence non-singular black hole

In 2022, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has reported the first observations of Sagittarius A*(SgrA*). Applying the EHT observational results, we find out constraints on non-singular Hayward parameter of regular dark energy black hole. Considering these constraints and different thin disk accretion, we present a detailed investigation into influence of different dark energy and Hayward parameters on shadows from non-singular Hayward black holes. In the first second-order attenuation function model, corresponding shadow radius and peak for observed intensity from direct image decrease with increasing dark energy parameter and Hayward parameter. However, for the lensing ring and photon ring, corresponding peak become bigger as dark energy parameter increase in case of fixed Hayward parameter. In the second third-order attenuation function model, significantly different from model 1, above two rings completely overlay on the direct image, resulting in two distinct peaks in the observed intensity. As increase of Hayward and dark energy parameters, the difference between the two peaks decreases, and shadows and observed intensity decrease. In the final inverse trigonometric function attenuation model, the result shows corresponding lensing ring as well as photon ring can be distinguished within the superposition region, and the superposition region becomes larger. With the increase of the dark energy parameter, the shadow radius exhibits a decreasing trend, while observed intensity increases. However, with the increase of the Hayward parameter, both decreases. Compared with the first two models, the shadow radius becomes smaller, but the observed intensity becomes larger, making the bright ring wider and brighter. Therefore, different accretion models and non-singular Hayward parameters can give rise to interesting and distinguish characteristic for the black hole shadow and rings.

Incorrectly Focused Neodymium:Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet (Nd:YAG) Laser Beam Leads to Massive Destructive Effects in Small-Aperture (Pinhole) Intraocular Lenses.

Pinhole intraocular lenses (IOLs) were developed to improve reading by compensating for loss of accommodative function. The IC-8® Apthera™ is a small-aperture presbyopia-correcting IOL that combines the proven principle of small-aperture optics with an aspheric monofocal lens to deliver a continuous range of vision for patients withcataractsfrom distance to near vision. Posterior capsule opacification is the most common sequela after cataract surgery. It is effectively treated by laser capsulotomy. However, if the laser beam is incorrectly focused, the IOL can be permanently damaged (pits/shots). In this experimental study, yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) pits were purposefully created. Defects were analyzed and compared between the periphery of the ring in the clear area of the hydrophobic acrylic lens and at the carbon black (CB)-polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) filtering component (FilterRing™) of the pinhole lens. All defects were made using identical settings/energy levels (2.6mJ). The damage induced to the IC-8® Apthera™ IOL was examined by low-magnification images, light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). YAG defects in the carbon black filter ring were much more severe than those in the clear zone due to the high absorption of the carbon black. Massive defects and destruction of the lens with tearing out of fragments and particles were observed. The missing volume calculated from the micro-CT reconstruction was 0.266 mm3, which is 1.6% of the entire IOL volume, or more than 1000 times the volume damaged in the largest shot in the periphery. Based on the results, we highly recommend using the lowest possible energy levels, posterior offset setting, and circular pattern for maximum safety when performing laser capsulotomy with pinhole implants. Care should be taken to avoid creating irreversible iatrogenic defects that may affect overall quality. The safest area for performing capsulotomy seems to be the periphery of the ring segment. Video available for this article.

Solution generation of a capped black hole

Utilizing the electric Harrison transformation developed in five-dimensional minimal supergravity, we construct an exact solution characterizing non-BPS (Bogomol’nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield) charged rotating black holes with a horizon cross section of a lens space L(n;1). Among these solutions, only the ones corresponding to n=0 and n=1 do not have any curvature singularities, conical singularities, Dirac-Misner string singularities, and orbifold singularities both on and outside the horizon; additionally, they are free from closed timelike curves. The solution for n=0 corresponds to the charged dipole black ring that we constructed in the previous paper. The specific solution for n=1, referred to as the “capped black hole,” was introduced in our previous article. This provides the first example of a non-BPS exact solution, representing an asymptotically flat, stationary spherical black hole with a domain of outer communication (DOC) having a nontrivial topology in five-dimensional minimal supergravity. We demonstrate that the DOC on a time slice has the topology of [R4#CP2]\B4. Differing from the well-known Myers-Perry and Cvetič-Youm black holes describing a spherical horizon topology and a DOC with a trivial topology of R4\B4 on a timeslice, the capped black hole’s horizon is capped by a disk-shaped bubble. We explicitly demonstrate that the capped black hole carries mass, two angular momenta, an electric charge, and a magnetic flux, with only three of these quantities being independent. Furthermore, we reveal that this black hole can possess identical conserved charges as the Cvetič-Youm black hole. The existence of this solution challenges black hole uniqueness beyond both the black ring and the BPS spherical black hole. Moreover, within specific parameter regions, the capped black hole can exhibit larger entropy than the Cvetič-Youm black hole. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Prospects for the Detection of the Sgr A* Photon Ring with Next-generation Event Horizon Telescope Polarimetry

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) has imaged two supermassive black holes, Messier 87* (M87*) and Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), using very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI). The theoretical analyses of each source suggest magnetically arrested disk (MAD) accretion viewed at modest inclination. These MADs exhibit rotationally symmetric polarization of synchrotron emission caused by symmetries of their ordered magnetic fields. We leverage these symmetries to study the detectability of the black hole photon ring, which imposes known antisymmetries in polarization. In this Letter, we propose a novel observational strategy based on coherent baseline averaging of polarization ratios On a rotating basis to detect the photon ring with 345 GHz VLBI from the Earth’s surface. Using synthetic observations from a likely future EHT, we find a reversal in polarimetric phases on long baselines that reveals the presence of the Sgr A* photon ring in a MAD system at 345 GHz, a critical frequency for lengthening baselines and overcoming interstellar scattering. We use our synthetic data and analysis pipeline to estimate requirements for the EHT using a new metric: SNRPR, the signal-to-noise ratio of this polarimetric reversal signal. We identify long, coherent integrations using frequency phase transfer as a critical enabling technique for the detection of the photon ring and predict a SNRPR ∼ 2−3 detection using proposed next-generation Event Horizon Telescope parameters and currently favored models for the Sgr A* accretion flow. We find that higher sensitivity, rather than denser Fourier sampling, is the most critical requirement for polarimetric detection of the photon ring.

Assessing the impact of instrument noise and astrophysical fluctuations on measurements of the first black hole photon ring

Assessing the impact of instrument noise and astrophysical fluctuations on measurements of the first black hole photon ring

Rotating metrics and new multipole moments from scattering amplitudes in arbitrary dimensions

We compute the vacuum metric generated by a generic rotating object in arbitrary dimensions up to third post-Minkowskian order by computing the classical contribution of scattering amplitudes describing the graviton emission by massive spin-1 particles up to two loops. The solution depends on the mass, angular momenta, and on up to two parameters related to generic quadrupole moments. In D=4 spacetime dimensions, we recover the vacuum Hartle-Thorne solution describing a generic spinning object to second order in the angular momentum, of which the Kerr metric is a particular case obtained for a specific mass quadrupole moment dictated by the uniqueness theorem. At the level of the effective action, the case of minimal couplings corresponds to the Kerr black hole, while any other mass quadrupole moment requires nonminimal couplings. In D>4, the absence of black-hole uniqueness theorems implies that there are multiple spinning black hole solutions with different topology. Using scattering amplitudes, we find a generic solution depending on the mass, angular momenta, the mass quadrupole moment, and a new stress quadrupole moment which does not exist in D=4. As special cases, we recover the Myers-Perry and the single-angular-momentum black ring solutions, to third and first post-Minkowksian order, respectively. Interestingly, at variance with the four-dimensional case, none of these solutions corresponds to the minimal coupling in the effective action. This shows that, from the point of view of scattering amplitudes, black holes are the “simplest” general relativity vacuum solutions only in D=4. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Static equilibrium of multi–black holes in expanding bubbles in five dimensions

We investigate possible configurations for vacuum multiblack holes that maintain static equilibrium in expanding bubbles. Our analysis assumes a five-dimensional Weyl metric to describe the spacetime, facilitating the derivation of solutions based on the provided rod structure. We consider a spacetime having expanding bubbles caused by one or two acceleration horizons, and show that various configurations such as two bubbles, four bubbles devoid of horizons, a black saturn, a black di-ring, a bicycling black ring (orthogonal black di-ring), and a five-dimensional black hole binary can achieve equilibrium within expanding bubbles. Specifically, we demonstrate that equilibrium requires two acceleration horizons on both sides for the bicycling ring and the five-dimensional black hole binary. However, only one acceleration horizon is necessary for achieving equilibrium in the case of the black saturn and the black di-ring. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

New construction of a charged dipole black ring by the Harrison transformation

New construction of a charged dipole black ring by the Harrison transformation

<i>Argiope trifasciata</i> (Forskl, 1775), A New Araneidae Record from Iraq

The banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata, was originally observed and described in Misan, Iraq. The specimens were collected from agricultural fields with date palm trees in Misan. Argiope trifasciata is a member of the Araniedae family, which is widely distributed. These spiders have shiny, silvery hairs on their carapaces, and females are yellow. The described spider typically has a large, oval-shaped abdomen with black and pale yellow stripes. The legs feature black rings and are yellowish brown.

A Kingdom of Possibility

A Kingdom of Possibility

A Classification of Supersymmetric Kaluza–Klein Black Holes with a Single Axial Symmetry

AbstractWe extend the recent classification of five-dimensional, supersymmetric asymptotically flat black holes with only a single axial symmetry to black holes with Kaluza–Klein asymptotics. This includes a similar class of solutions for which the supersymmetric Killing field is generically timelike, and the corresponding base (orbit space of the supersymmetric Killing field) is of multi-centred Gibbons–Hawking type. These solutions are determined by four harmonic functions on $$\mathbb {R}^3$$ R 3 with simple poles at the centres corresponding to connected components of the horizon, and fixed points of the axial symmetry. The allowed horizon topologies are $$S^3$$ S 3 , $$S^2\times S^1$$ S 2 × S 1 , and lens space L(p, 1), and the domain of outer communication may have non-trivial topology with non-contractible 2-cycles. The classification also reveals a novel class of supersymmetric (multi-)black rings for which the supersymmetric Killing field is globally null. These solutions are determined by two harmonic functions on $$\mathbb {R}^3$$ R 3 with simple poles at centres corresponding to horizon components. We determine the subclass of Kaluza–Klein black holes that can be dimensionally reduced to obtain smooth, supersymmetric, four-dimensional multi-black holes. This gives a classification of four-dimensional asymptotically flat supersymmetric multi-black holes first described by Denef et al.

Black hole/black ring transition

We consider BPS states in M theory compactified on a Calabi-Yau threefold with one Kähler parameter, and investigate their relation to black holes and black rings. On the microscopic side, a characterization of the BPS degeneracy can be obtained from the non-perturbative part of the topological string free energy according to the Gopakumar-Vafa conjecture. On the macroscopic side, the Wald entropy of relevant black objects in the four-dimensional IIA description is computed from the perturbative part of the same topological string free energy following the work of Cardoso-de Wit-Mohaupt and then lifted to five-dimensional M theory through the Gaiotto-Strominger-Yin correspondence. For a given value of the M2 brane charge, we find that for small angular momenta, the microscopic BPS degeneracy matches the entropy of a rotating black hole, whereas an apparent transition occurs at a critical value of the angular momentum. Beyond this value, we find encouraging evidence that the microscopic counting is well approximated by the entropy of a black ring. We conclude by formulating a new puzzle involving the corrections due to degenerate worldsheet instantons.

Development of Stable Infectious cDNA Clones of Tomato Black Ring Virus Tagged with Green Fluorescent Protein.

Tomato black ring virus (TBRV) is a member of the Nepovirus genus in the Secoviridae family, which infects a wide range of important crop species worldwide. In this work, we constructed four cDNA infectious clones of the TBRV tagged with the green fluorescent protein (TBRV-GFP), which varied in (i) the length of the sequences flanking the GFP insert, (ii) the position of the GFP insert within the RNA2 polyprotein, and (iii) the addition of a self-cutting 2A protein. The presence of the GFP coding sequence in infected plants was verified by RT-PCR, while the infectivity and stability of the constructs were verified by mechanical inoculation of the host plants. The systemic spread of TBRV-GFP within plants was observed under UV light at a macroscopic level, monitoring GFP-derived fluorescence in leaves, and at a microscopic level using confocal microscopy. The obtained clones are a valuable tool for future studies of TBRV-host interactions, virus biology, and the long-term monitoring of its distribution in infected plants.

Shadows of loop quantum black holes: semi-analytical simulations of loop quantum gravity effects on Sagittarius A* and M87*

In this study, we delve into the observational implications of rotating Loop Quantum Black Holes (LQBHs) within an astrophysical framework. We employ semi-analytical General Relativistic Radiative Transfer (GRRT) computations to study the emission from the accretion flow around LQBHs. Our findings indicate that the increase of Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG) effects results in an enlargement of the rings from LQBHs, thereby causing a more circular polarization pattern in the shadow images. We make comparisons with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations of Sgr A* and M87*, which enable us to determine an upper limit for the polymetric function P in LQG. The upper limit for Sgr A* is 0.2, while for M87* it is 0.07. Both black holes exhibit a preference for a relatively high spin (a ≳ 0.5 for Sgr A* and 0.5 ≲ a ≲ 0.7 for M87*). The constraints for Sgr A* are based on black hole spin and ring diameter, whereas for M87*, the constraints are further tightened by the polarimetric pattern. In essence, our simulations provide observational constraints on the effect of LQG in supermassive black holes (SMBH), providing the most consistent comparison with observation.

Entropy Bounds for Rotating AdS Black Holes.

We propose novel thermodynamic inequalities that apply to stationary asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AdS) black holes. These inequalities incorporate the thermodynamic volume and refine the reverse isoperimetric inequality. To assess the validity of our conjectures, we apply them to a wide range of analytical black hole solutions, observing compelling evidence in their favor. Intriguingly, our findings indicate that these inequalities may also apply for black holes of nonspherical horizon topology, as we show their validity as well for thin asymptotically AdS black rings.

First Report of Corynespora cassiicola Causing Septoria Leaf Spot on Scutellaria baicalensis in China.

First Report of Corynespora cassiicola Causing Septoria Leaf Spot on Scutellaria baicalensis in China.