Astronomy |
The research provides a first impression of what could be found inside black holes. Also, the findings could redefine our understanding of these objects and the Universe.
An international group of astronomers claims to have found the first observational evidence that black holes are the source of the unknown dark energyas detailed in a study published on Wednesday (02.15.2023) by the journal The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
The Universe is made up of three elements: ordinary matter -planets, stars and visible objects- is equivalent to 5%; dark matter -which does not emit, reflect or absorb light- 27%; and the remaining 68% corresponds to dark energy, but no one has been able to explain how it originates and what it is.
The key to Einstein’s “cosmological coupling”
Now, the 17 specialists of nine nationalities propose that the growth of the mass of black holes coincides with the so-called “cosmological coupling”, a phenomenon predicted in Albert Einstein’s theory of gravity.
Specifically, experts assume that black holes increase in mass because they contain so-called vacuum energy inside (a manifestation of dark energy described in 1960), which would increase over time as the universe expands because of cosmological coupling.
The calculations match
Scientists argue that estimates of the black hole vacuum energy produced during the death of the first stars in the Universe nine billion years ago match the amount of dark energy that exists.
“We have the first proposed astrophysical source for dark energy,” said Duncan Farrah, lead author and astrophysicist at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa.
“However, this does not mean that other people have not proposed sources for dark energy, but rather that this is the first observational work in which we did not add anything new to the Universe as a source for dark energy: black holes in the theory of Einstein’s gravity are dark energy,” he said.
Research co-author Kevin Croker said: “This measurement, which explains why the Universe is accelerating now, offers a beautiful insight into the true strength of Einstein’s gravity.”
New definition for black holes?
Normally, black holes are generated when massive stars explode after collapsing. The gravitational pull on these objects is so strong that not even light is able to escape.
“Supermassive” black holes at the center of galaxies are much heavier than those born after the violent collapse of a star, and have the ability to increase their size by accumulating matter and merge with other objects of his kind.
The proposed hypothesis should be tested with further studies. If so, our understanding of black holes and the Universe could change: “If confirmed, this would be an extraordinary result that would point the way to the next generation of black hole solutions,” Farrah added.
Edited by José Ignacio Urrejola