In an international collaboration betwixt Nippon in addition to Sweden, scientists clarified how gravity affects the shape of affair close the dark hole inwards binary organisation Cygnus X-1. Their findings, which were published inwards Nature Astronomy this month, may assist scientists farther sympathise the physics of rigid gravity in addition to the development of dark holes in addition to galaxies.
Taking a moving painting of a dark hole is non easy. For ane thing, it is non nevertheless possible to notice a dark hole because calorie-free cannot escape it. Rather, instead of observing the dark hole itself, scientists tin notice calorie-free coming from affair closed to the dark hole. In the instance of Cygnus X-1, this affair comes from the star that closely orbits the dark hole.
Most calorie-free that nosotros see, similar from the sun, vibrates inwards many directions. Polarization filters calorie-free in addition to therefore that it vibrates inwards ane direction. It is how snowfall goggles amongst polarized lenses allow skiers run across to a greater extent than easily where they are going downwards the mount -- they locomote because the filter cuts calorie-free reflecting off of the snow.
Polarization filters calorie-free in addition to therefore that it vibrates inwards ane management [Credit: Masako Hayashi, CORE-U, Hiroshima University] |
The squad needed to figure out where the calorie-free was coming from in addition to where it scattered. In enterprise to brand both of these measurements, they launched an X-ray polarimeter on a balloon called PoGO+. From there, the squad could slice together what fraction of difficult X-rays reflected off the accretion disk in addition to position the affair shape.
Two competing models push clit how affair close a dark hole tin hold off inwards a binary organisation such every bit Cygnus X-1: the lamp-post in addition to extended model. In the lamp-post model, the corona is compact in addition to jump closely to the dark hole. Photons curvature toward the accretion disk, resulting inwards to a greater extent than reflected light. In the extended model, the corona is larger in addition to spread or in addition to therefore the vicinity of the dark hole. In this case, the reflected calorie-free past times the disk is weaker.
With this information, the researchers tin uncover to a greater extent than characteristics almost dark holes. One representative is its spin. The effects of spin tin alter the space-time surrounding the dark hole. Spin could besides render clues into the development of the dark hole. It could hold out slowing downwards inwards speed since the outset of the universe, or it could hold out accumulating affair in addition to spinning faster.
"The dark hole inwards Cygnus is ane of many," Takahashi said. "We would similar to report to a greater extent than dark holes using X-ray polarimetry, similar those closer to the pump of galaxies. Maybe nosotros improve sympathise dark hole evolution, every bit good every bit galaxy evolution."
Source: Hiroshima University [July 27, 2018]
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