Tracking Individual Black Holes in Binary Systems

Researchers at the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology say that they are currently testing an observations method that, if successful, could allow astronomers to observe individual black holes inside black hole binary systems.

At this point, even detecting such a construct is extremely difficult, and only a few areas in the entire Universe are now suspected of hiding such an event. The collision, or merger, of two black holes is arguably one of the most interesting events that can take place in the Cosmos.

These singularities are already large enough as it is, but when two of them collide – and their gravitational fields start to interact – then astrophysicists are in for a treat. Theoretical predictions say that such a merger would be the source of massive volumes of gravitational waves.

Crowded galaxy cluster environments are the perfect place to search for such events, especially if the large-scale structures are located in the early Universe, billions of years away from our planet.

What the Kavli team plans to do is develop an observations method capable of seeing through the massive radiation clouds emitted by the colliding black holes, and into the very heart of the binary system. In essence, astronomers want to be able to observe either singularity individually.

Data obtained in this manner would be of critical importance to our understanding of galactic evolution. They would also go a long way towards explaining how black holes themselves grow and evolve over billions of years.

Details of the new investigations effort have been accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of the Astrophysical Journal Letter, Daily Galaxy reports. “The whole issue of two lighter black holes combining into a more massive black hole has been hypothesized for some time,” Brian Gerke says.

The expert was formerly a research scientist at KIPAC, but he is now based at the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Berkeley Lab) Environmental Energy Technology Division. He is one of two scientists behind the new study.

“Early on in the Universe, we already see very massive black holes. Could that have happened though slow and steady growth? Probably not. Coalescence – that's how astronomers think it must have happened,” KIPAC expert Greg Madejski adds.

The team plans to continue its observations for as long as possible. They say that it's essential for their astronomer colleagues to identify more black hole binary systems, so that the analysis can be deepened.