Nature Of Black Holes Research Articles

Estimating false alarm rates of sub-dominant quasi-normal modes in GW190521

Abstract A major aim of gravitational wave astronomy is to test observationally the Kerr nature of black holes. The strongest such test, with minimal additional assumptions, is provided by observations of multiple ringdown modes, also known as black hole spectroscopy. For the gravitational wave merger event GW190521, we have previously claimed the detection of two ringdown modes emitted by the remnant black hole. In this paper we provide further evidence for the detection of multiple ringdown modes from this event. We analyse the recovery of simulated gravitational wave signals designed to replicate the ringdown properties of GW190521. We quantify how often our detection statistic reports strong evidence for a sub-dominant $(\ell,m,n)=(3,3,0)$ ringdown mode, even when no such mode is present in the simulated signal. We find this only occurs with a probability $\sim 0.02$, which is consistent with a Bayes factor of $56 \pm 1$ (1$\sigma$ uncertainty) found for GW190521. We also quantify our agnostic analysis of GW190521, in which no relationship is assumed between ringdown modes, and find that only 1 in 250 simulated signals without a $(3,3,0)$ mode yields a result as significant as GW190521. Conversely, we verify that when simulated signals do have an observable $(3,3,0)$ mode they consistently yield a strong evidence and significant agnostic results. We also find that constraints on deviations from the $(3,3,0)$ mode on GW190521-like signals with a $(3,3,0)$ mode are consistent with what was obtained from our previous analysis of GW190521. Our results support our previous conclusion that the gravitational wave signal from GW190521 contains an observable sub-dominant $(\ell,m,n)=(3,3,0)$ mode.

Probing the quantum nature of black holes with ultralight boson environments

Probing the quantum nature of black holes with ultralight boson environments

Insight-HXMT, NICER, and NuSTAR Views to the Newly Discovered Black Hole X-Ray Binary Swift J151857.0–572147

The systematic properties are largely unknown for the black hole X-ray binary Swift J151857.0–572147 newly discovered in the 2024 outburst. The nature of a black hole can be completely defined by specifying the mass and dimensionless spin parameter. Therefore, accurate measurement of the two fundamental parameters is important for understanding the nature of black holes. The joint spectral fitting of a reflection component with simultaneous observations from Insight-HXMT, NICER, and NuSTAR reveals for the first time a black hole dimensionless spin of 0.84−0.26+0.17 and an inclination angle of 21.1−3.6+4.5 degrees for this system. Monitoring of the soft state by NICER results in disk flux and temperature following Fdisk∝Tin3.83±0.17 . For the standard thin disk, Ldisk≈4πRin2σTin4 , so the relationship between the flux and temperature of the disk we measured indicates that the inner radius of the disk is stable and the disk is in the innermost stable circular orbit. With an empirical relation built previously between the black hole outburst profile and the intrinsic power output, the source distance is estimated as 5.8 ± 2.5 kpc according to the outburst profile and peak flux observed by Insight-HXMT and NICER. Finally, a black hole mass of 3.67 ± 1.79–8.07 ± 4.20M ⊙ can be inferred from a joint diagnostic of the aforementioned parameters measured for this system. This system is also consistent with most black hole X-ray binaries with high spin and a mass in the range of 5–20 M ⊙.

Surveying the Onset and Evolution of Supermassive Black Holes at High-z with AXIS

The nature and origin of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) remain an open matter of debate within the scientific community. While various theoretical scenarios have been proposed, each with specific observational signatures, the lack of sufficiently sensitive X-ray observations hinders the progress of observational tests. In this white paper, we present how AXIS will contribute to solving this issue. With an angular resolution of 1.5″ on-axis and minimal off-axis degradation, we designed a deep survey capable of reaching flux limits in the [0.5–2] keV range of approximately 2 × 10−18 erg s−1 cm−2 over an area of 0.13 deg2 in approximately 7 million seconds (7 Ms). Furthermore, we planned an intermediate depth survey covering approximately 2 deg2 and reaching flux limits of about 2 × 10−17 erg s−1 cm−2 in order to detect a significant number of SMBHs with X-ray luminosities (LX) of approximately 1042 erg s−1 up to z∼10. These observations will enable AXIS to detect SMBHs with masses smaller than 105 M⊙, assuming Eddington-limited accretion and a typical bolometric correction for Type II AGN. AXIS will provide valuable information on the seeding and population synthesis models of SMBHs, allowing for more accurate constraints on their initial mass function (IMF) and accretion history from z∼0–10. To accomplish this, AXIS will leverage the unique synergy of survey telescopes such as the JWST, Roman, Euclid, Vera Rubin Telescope, and the new generation of 30 m class telescopes. These instruments will provide optical identification and redshift measurements, while AXIS will discover the smoking gun of nuclear activity, particularly in the case of highly obscured AGN or peculiar UV spectra as predicted and recently observed by the JWST in the early Universe.

Portrait of a Black Hole: The first image of the behemoth at the center of the Milky Way opens new possibilities for understanding the nature of black holes.

Portrait of a Black Hole: The first image of the behemoth at the center of the Milky Way opens new possibilities for understanding the nature of black holes.

Thermodynamic nature of black holes in coexistence region

Thermodynamic nature of black holes in coexistence region

Implications of pulsar timing array data for scalar-induced gravitational waves and primordial black holes: Primordial non-Gaussianity fNL considered

Multiple pulsar-timing-array collaborations have reported strong evidence for the existence of a gravitational-wave background. We study physical implications of this signal for cosmology, assuming that it is attributed to scalar-induced gravitational waves. By incorporating primordial non-Gaussianity fNL, we specifically examine the nature of primordial curvature perturbations and primordial black holes. We find that the signal allows for a primordial non-Gaussianity fNL in the range of −4.1≲fNL≲4.1 (68% confidence intervals) and a mass range for primordial black holes mpbh spanning from ∼10−5M⊙ to ∼10−2M⊙. Furthermore, we find that the signal favors a negative non-Gaussianity, which can suppress the abundance of primordial black holes. We also demonstrate that the anisotropies of scalar-induced gravitational waves serve as a powerful tool to probe the non-Gaussianity fNL. We conduct a comprehensive analysis of the angular power spectrum within the nano-Hertz band. Looking ahead, we anticipate that future projects, such as the Square Kilometre Array, will have the potential to measure these anisotropies and provide further insights into the primordial universe. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Topological interpretation of black hole phase transition in Gauss–Bonnet gravity

Phase transitions of Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet black holes are studied using Duan’s [Formula: see text]-field topological current theory, where black holes are treated as topological defects in the thermodynamic parameter space. The kinetics of thermodynamic defects are studied using Duan’s bifurcation theory. In this picture, a first-order phase transition between small/large black hole phases is interpreted as the interchange of winding numbers between the defects as a result of some action at a distance. We observe a first-order phase transition between small/large black holes for [Formula: see text] Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet theory similar to Reissner–Nordström black holes in AdS space. This implies that these black hole solutions share the same topology and phase structure. We have also studied the phase transition of neutral black holes in [Formula: see text] and found a transition between unstable small and large stable black hole phases similar to the case of neutral black holes in AdS space. Recently, it has been conjectured that black holes with similar topological structure exhibit the same thermodynamic properties. Our results strengthen the conjecture by connecting the topological nature of black holes to phase transitions.

The High Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P): probing accretion onto stellar mass black holes

Accretion is a universal astrophysical process that plays a key role in cosmic history, from the epoch of reionization to galaxy and stellar formation and evolution. Accreting stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries are one of the best laboratories to study the accretion process and probe strong gravity—and most importantly, to measure the angular momentum, or spin, of black holes, and its role as a powering mechanism for relativistic astrophysical phenomena. Comprehensive characterization of the disk-corona system of accreting black holes, and their co-evolution, is fundamental to measurements of black hole spin. Here, we use simulated data to demonstrate how key unanswered questions in the study of accreting stellar-mass black holes will be addressed by the High Energy X-ray Probe (HEX-P). HEX-P is a probe-class mission concept that will combine high spatial resolution X-ray imaging and broad spectral coverage (0.2–80 keV) with a sensitivity superior to current facilities (including XMM-Newton and NuSTAR) to enable revolutionary new insights into a variety of important astrophysical problems. We illustrate the capability of HEX-P to: 1) measure the evolving structures of black hole binary accretion flows down to low (≲ 0.1%) Eddington-scaled luminosities via detailed X-ray reflection spectroscopy; 2) provide unprecedented spectral observations of the coronal plasma, probing its elusive geometry and energetics; 3) perform detailed broadband studies of stellar mass black holes in nearby galaxies, thus expanding the repertoire of sources we can use to study accretion physics and determine the fundamental nature of black holes; and 4) act as a complementary observatory to a range of future ground and space-based astronomical observatories, thus providing key spectral measurements of the multi-component emission from the inner accretion flows of black hole X-ray binaries.

On the physical viability of black hole solutions in Einsteinian Cubic Gravity and its generalisations

In this note, we discuss the pathological nature of black holes in Einsteinian Cubic gravity and its extensions. We compute the equations for the odd perturbations and show how spherically symmetric solutions that asymptotically approach a maximally symmetric space (Minkowski, de Sitter or anti-de Sitter) are associated to having an asymptotically degenerate principal part of the equations. We use these results to argue that the encountered problems will be generic for any other cubic or higher-order with a reduced linear spectrum around maximally symmetric spaces except the well-known healthy case of f(R). We highlight that these pathologies are only alarming when the theory is regarded as a complete theory, but not when considered as a perturbative correction to GR (as in e.g. the effective field theory framework) since the low-energy physics remains safe from them. Our results thus cast doubts on possible resolutions of the singularities or non-perturbative effects on horizons based on these theories.

Research on the classifications of gravitational wave

In daily life, we can transmit and obtain information through mechanical waves and electromagnetic waves. For example, judging where the fish swims from the flooded water waves, and learns from the wonderful music to know what kind of instrument the musicians are playing and communicating through the radio waves. Gravitational waves, a fundamental prediction of Einstein's theory of general relativity, have revolutionized our understanding of the universe. This essay explores the background of research on gravitational waves, tracing their theoretical origins to the early 20th century and highlighting their recent detection in 2015. The research technique employed involves highly sensitive interferometers, such as LIGO and Virgo, which can detect the minuscule distortions in space-time caused by these elusive waves. By observing the gravitational waves emitted during cataclysmic cosmic events, scientists can now delve deeper into the nature of black holes, neutron stars, and the origin of our universe. In conclusion, the discovery of gravitational waves opens up new avenues for exploring the cosmos, providing unprecedented insights into the fabric of space-time itself.

Evidence for a black hole in the historical X-ray transient A 1524-61 (= KY TrA)

ABSTRACT We present Very Large Telescope spectroscopy, high-resolution imaging, and time-resolved photometry of KY TrA, the optical counterpart to the X-ray binary A 1524-61. We perform a refined astrometry of the field, yielding improved coordinates for KY TrA and the field star interloper of similar optical brightness that we locate 0.64 ± 0.04 arcsec SE. From the spectroscopy, we refine the radial velocity semi-amplitude of the donor star to K2 = 501 ± 52 km s−1 by employing the correlation between this parameter and the full width at half-maximum of the H α emission line. The r-band light curve shows an ellipsoidal-like modulation with a likely orbital period of 0.26 ± 0.01 d (6.24 ± 0.24 h). These numbers imply a mass function f(M1) = 3.2 ± 1.0 M⊙. The KY TrA de-reddened quiescent colour (r − i)0 = 0.27 ± 0.08 is consistent with a donor star of spectral type K2 or later, in case of significant accretion disc light contribution to the optical continuum. The colour allows us to place a very conservative upper limit on the companion star mass, M2 ≤ 0.94 M⊙, and, in turn, on the binary mass ratio, q = M2/M1 ≤ 0.31. By exploiting the correlation between the binary inclination and the depth of the H α line trough, we establish i = 57 ± 13 deg. All these values lead to a compact object and donor mass of $M_1 = 5.8^{+3.0}_{-2.4}$$\, M_\odot$ and M2 = 0.5 ± 0.3 M⊙, thus confirming the black hole nature of the accreting object. In addition, we estimate a distance towards the system of 8.0 ± 0.9 kpc.

Investigating the connection between generalized uncertainty principle and asymptotically safe gravity in black hole signatures through shadow and quasinormal modes

The links between the deformation parameter beta of the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) to the two free parameters hat{omega } and gamma of the running Newtonian coupling constant of the Asymptotic Safe gravity (ASG) program, has been conducted recently in [Phys. Rev. D 105 (2022) 12, 124054. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.105.124054] In this paper, we test these findings by calculating and examining the shadow and quasinormal modes of black holes, and demonstrate that the approach provides a theoretical framework for exploring the interplay between quantum gravity and GUP. Our results confirm the consistency of ASG and GUP, and offer new insights into the nature of black holes and their signatures. The implications of these findings for future studies in quantum gravity are also discussed.

Physics Visualization of Schwarzschild Black Hole through Graphic Representation of the Regge-Wheeler Equation using R-Studio Approach

This study aims to visualize the vibrations of black holes using the Regge-Wheeler equation in Cartesian coordinates. Black holes are astrophysical objects with extremely strong gravity, and understanding the vibrations around them provides insights into the nature and structure of black holes. The Regge-Wheeler equation is used to model these vibrations. In this study, the goal is to generate visual images that visualize the vibrations of black holes, including their frequencies, amplitudes, and possible vibration modes. Complex mathematical and computational methods were employed to create these visualizations. The findings of this research result in an intuitive and accurate visualizations of black hole vibrations. By observing the patterns and distributions of vibrations in visual form, complex concepts can be more easily understood and interpreted. These visualizations provide a better understanding of the characteristics of black hole vibrations and can serve as learning and comprehension tools for scientists and researchers. The accomplishment of this research addresses a deficiency in prior studies that lacked informative and intuitive visualizations of black hole vibration phenomena. The visualizations produced in this study make a significant contribution to our understanding of black hole vibration phenomena. The enhanced visualizations allow researchers to perceive patterns and distributions of vibrations more clearly, paving the way for new insights into the nature of black holes. The implications of this research are an improved understanding of black hole vibrations and a broader dissemination of knowledge about this phenomenon to the general public. The generated images can help communicate complex concepts more effectively, enhancing awareness and interest in black hole research.

On the interaction between ultralight bosons and quantum-corrected black holes

Both ultralight dark matter and exploring the quantum nature of black holes are all topics of great interest in gravitational wave astronomy at present. The superradiant instability allows an exotic compact object (ECO) to be surrounded by an ultralight boson cloud, which leads to the emission of gravitational waves and further triggers rich dynamical effects. In this paper, we study the gravitational effects of superradiant instabilities by calculating the energy fluxes of gravitational waves emitted from ultralight scalar dark matter fields by solving the Teukolsky equation in the background of a massive ECO phenomenologically described by a Kerr geometry with a reflective boundary condition at its physical boundary. We find that both the amplitude and phase of the reflectivity will either suppress or enhance the energy flux of GWs by several orders of magnitude if Mμ ≳ 0.5 where M and μ are the mass of ECO and boson, respectively. However, the modifications to energy flux are negligible if Mμ ≲ 0.5. Our results suggest that reflectivity will play a significant role in the near-horizon physics of ECO.

Is a black hole shadow a reliable test of the no-hair theorem?

Capturing the image of the shadow cast by the event horizon of an illuminated black hole is, at the most basic level, an experiment of extreme light deflection in a strongly curved spacetime. As such, the properties of an imaged shadow can be used to probe the general relativistic Kerr nature of astrophysical black holes. As an example of this prospect, it is commonly asserted that a shadow can test the validity of the theory's famous ``no hair theorem'' for the black hole's mass and spin multipole moments. In this paper, we assess this statement by calculating the shadow's equatorial radius in spacetimes with an arbitrary multipolar structure and within a slow rotation approximation. We find that when moments higher than the quadrupole are taken into account, the shadow acquires a high degree of degeneracy as a function of the deviation from the Kerr multipole moments. The results of our analysis suggest that dark objects with strongly non-Kerr multipolar structure could nevertheless produce a Kerr-like shadow with its characteristic quasicircular shape.

Bound on quantum fluctuations in gravitational waves from LIGO-Virgo

We derive some of the central equations governing quantum fluctuations in gravitational waves, making use of general relativity as a sensible effective quantum theory at large distances. We begin with a review of classical gravitational waves in general relativity, including the energy in each mode. We then form the quantum ground state and coherent state, before then obtaining an explicit class of squeezed states. Since existing gravitational wave detections arise from merging black holes, and since the quantum nature of black holes remains puzzling, one can be open-minded to the possibility that the wave is in an interesting quantum mechanical state, such as a highly squeezed state. We compute the time and space two-point correlation functions for the quantized metric perturbations. We then constrain its amplitude with LIGO-Virgo observations. Using existing LIGO-Virgo data, we place a bound on the (exponential) squeezing parameter of the quantum gravitational wave state of ζ < 41.

Космология между физикой и философией

It is shown that the canonical cosmological model of the Universe – Big Bang Theory (BBT) contains unacceptably many unsolvable contradictions either to facts, or logic, or, finally, to physics. They can be categorized into several groups: 1) unacceptable, 2) unsubstantiated, and 3) multivalued. To the unac­ceptable fragments of the concept of BBT it is reasonable to include ideas about: a) “singularity”; b) “cosmological inflation”; c) “infinite death of Nature”. Un­reasonable include: a) hypothesis about materiality of space-time, b) recognition of the possibility of their birth and death. Among the interpretations admitting other ones with high probability are: a) the principle of equivalence of the iner­tial and gravitational masses, b) the gravitational redshift, c) the effect of deflec­tion of light near large masses. Among the interpretations, which do not cause doubts, it is possible to note an explanation of the black hole nature, following from Newton’s classical theory of gravitation. The source of insoluble contradic­tions of the BBT was Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity (GTR), which was created on the basis of strictly deterministic classical mechanics. The underde­velopment of quantum mechanics at the beginning of the twentieth century mis­led the author of the GTR about the equivalence of inertial and gravitational masses. A consequence of this delusion was the erroneous recognition of space-time as material substances. It, in turn, led to a lot of unexplained events in the past of the Universe, and fantastic predictions about its future. But the most striking thing that distinguishes GTR is its violation of the fundamental law of conservation of energy, which cosmological theorists turn a blind eye to. This allows us to consider it a legacy of classical physics of the nineteenth century, unsatisfactory from the perspective of probabilistic physics of the twenty-first century.

The Recent progress and state-of-art detection scenarios for black holes and gravitational waves

Gravitational waves, predicted by Einstein within the framework of general relativity, were discovered and confirmed by LIGO in 2015. Based on the detection of gravitational waves, black holes were also confirmed and recorded for the first time. In this article, we provide an overview of the mechanism of gravitational waves generated by black hole mergers, including basic formulae from general relativity, detection principles and approaches, and state-of-the-art equipment and detection results. In addition, we summarise the current limitations of what is known and make predictions for future directions. Gravitational waves are important because they contain information about their origin as well as about fundamental properties of gravity that cannot be detected by looking at the electromagnetic spectrum. These results shed light on guiding future research that focuses on exploring the nature of black holes.

Approach to computing spectral shifts for black holes beyond Kerr

Recent measurements of gravitational-wave ringdown following the merger of binary black holes raise the prospect of precision black hole spectroscopy in the near future. To perform the most sensitive tests of the nature of black holes using ringdown measurements, it is critical to compute the deviations to the spectrum of black holes in particular extensions of relativity. These spectral shifts are also needed to interpret any violations of the predictions of relativity that may be detected during ringdown. Here we present a first step towards computing the shifts to the spectrum of Kerr black holes with arbitrary spins, by deriving a modified Teukolsky equation governing the perturbations of black holes in theories beyond GR. Our approach applies to a class of theories which includes dynamical Chern-Simons gravity and shift-symmetric scalar Gauss-Bonnet gravity, in the case where the deviations from relativity are small. This allows for a perturbative approach to solving the equations of motion. Further, we show how to use the modified equation to compute the leading-order spectral shifts of Kerr black holes, using eigenvalue perturbation methods. Our formalism provides a practical approach to predicting ringdown for black holes in a range of promising extensions to relativity, enabling future precision searches for their signatures in black hole ringdown.