A new
study
by an international team led by researchers at
Oxford University Physics
has provided the first observational proof of a key prediction from Einstein’s theory of gravity regarding the existence of “plunging regions” around
black holes
. “Einstein has been proved correct!” researchers say.
Published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on Thursday (May 16), the study — “Continuum emission from within the plunging region of black hole discs” — used X-ray data from
NASA
’s NuSTAR and NICER space telescopes to analyse smaller black holes relatively close to Earth.
The study gives the first observational proof that a “plunging-region” around black holes not only exists, but exerts some of the strongest gravitational forces yet identified in the galaxy, researchers said. The new findings are part of wide-ranging investigations into outstanding mysteries around black holes by
astrophysicists
at Oxford University Physics.
Later this year, a second Oxford team hopes to move closer to filming first movies of larger, more distant black holes as part of a multi-million European initiative, a statement shared with TOI read.
Unlike in Newton’s theory of gravity, Einstein’s theory states that sufficiently close to a black hole it is impossible for particles to safely follow circular orbits, instead they rapidly “plunge” toward the black hole at close to the speed of light – giving the plunging region its name.
“This is the first look at how plasma, peeled from the outer edge of a star, undergoes its final fall into the centre of a black hole, a process happening in a system around 10,000 light years away. What’s really exciting is that there are many black holes in the galaxy, and we now have a powerful new technique for using them to study the strongest known gravitational fields,” said Dr Andrew Mummery, of Oxford University Physics, who led the study.
Mummery said that while Einstein’s theory predicted that this final plunge would exist, this was the first time researchers have been able to demonstrate it happening. “...Think of it like a river turning into a waterfall – hitherto, we have been looking at the river. This is our first sight of the waterfall.”
“We believe this represents an exciting new development in the study of black holes, allowing us to investigate this final area around them. Only then can we fully understand the gravitational force,” Mummery added. “This final plunge of plasma happens at the very edge of a black hole and shows matter responding to gravity in its strongest possible form.”
English (US) ·