Scientific experts articulate that the prevailing methods of measuring black holes are inadequate for conclusively determining the creation process of these enigmatic cosmic behemoths. The spin of a black hole provides crucial insights into its birthplace, particularly for binary black holes, essentially a pair of black holes in a close orbital dance that eventually merge. The spin and tilt of these black holes before fusion can signify if they originated from a tranquil galactic disk or a bustling cluster of stars.
Astrophysicists aim to discern the more plausible of these origin theories by analyzing the 69 verified binaries discovered so far. However, a recent study indicates that the existing catalog of binaries is insufficient to divulge any fundamental aspects of black hole formation processes.
The study, published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters, demonstrates that the conclusions drawn from black hole formation models can vary significantly, depending largely on the specific model used to interpret the data. In essence, the origin of a black hole can be "spun" in different ways, contingent on a model's presumptions about the workings of the universe.
MIT graduate student and study co-author Sylvia Biscoveanu cautions that, "When you adjust the model and make it more flexible or make different assumptions, you get a different answer about how black holes formed in the universe. We highlight that we need to tread carefully as our data is not yet at a stage where we can trust what the model tells us".
In the quest to understand black hole origins, black holes in binary systems are believed to arise from one of two paths. The first path is through "field binary evolution," where two stars evolve together and eventually explode in supernovae, leaving behind two black holes that continue circling in a binary system. The second path is through "dynamical assembly," where two black holes evolve separately, eventually brought together by extreme astrophysical processes to form a binary system.
Astronomers believe that the proportion of binaries created through each channel should be evident in the data, specifically the measurements of black hole spins. The current evidence, gathered from 69 binaries, suggests that both aligned and random spins are possible, indicating that the universe could produce binaries in both galactic disks and globular clusters.
However, Biscoveanu questions, "But do we have enough data to make this distinction?" This emphasizes the need for more data and a cautious approach in interpreting current findings[7]. Looking forward, it is anticipated that the LIGO network will significantly bolster the data pool by detecting new black hole binaries regularly once it resumes operations in 2023.
Reference: “Spin it as you like: The (lack of a) measurement of the spin tilt distribution with LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA binary black holes” by Salvatore Vitale, Sylvia Biscoveanu and Colm Talbot, 9 December 2022, Astronomy and Astrophysics Letters.
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