Aug 20, 2010 05:18 GMT  ·  By
Black hole mergers could be producing vast amounts of powerful radiation jets
   Black hole mergers could be producing vast amounts of powerful radiation jets

Astrophysicists now believe that they could keep track of galactic mergers by scanning the Universe for signs of highly-energetic and very powerful jet radiation, which would result from black hole collisions.

This may help astronomers get a better clue of the frequency with which galactic mergers took place, and also of the phenomena that take on at their cores, where matter interactions are most dynamic.

For example, all large and old galaxies are powered by supermassive black holes at their cores – structures that merge with each other in case of a galactic collision.

According to a new computer model of what would happen in such an instance, a black hole collision would result in the production of massive amounts of super-powerful jets of radiation, which should become immediately apparent to researchers who know what to look for.

The study also suggests that astronomers should get to working on building a new class of telescopes, that would be dedicated exclusively to studying black hole interactions.

What's even more interesting about the new computer model is the fact that the jets of electromagnet energy the black hole produce start being noticeable long before the two structures actually collide.

“There is a very real possibility that we will be able to detect these systems before a merger takes place. The ideal scenario is to know where it's going to happen,” says Luis Lehner, quoted by Space.

The expert is based in Canada, where he holds joint appointments at the University of Guelph and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. He is also the coauthor of the new study.

One added advantage of studying black holes is the fact that readings obtained in this manner could be used to investigate other physical phenomena as well, such as Einstein's Theory of General Relativity.

“We've never tested Einstein's relativity in extreme conditions. This would give us a chance to see if it holds up. If it doesn't, we can start looking at alternative theories,” Lehner adds.

The expert says that his team's work on studying black holes is very different than existing studies on the same issue.

He explains that, while other research groups modeled black hole interactions in a vacuum, his team is one of the first to introduce matter into the equation. Black holes are always surrounded by gas and dust, among other things.

“The problem becomes so much messier when matter is involved,” Lehner concludes, adding that simulation become more complex by adding it, but also more relevant and realistic.