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At least 415 records · Page 23
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

X-RAY AND RADIO CONSTRAINTS ON THE MASS OF THE BLACK HOLE IN SWIFT J164449.3+573451

Swift J164449.3+573451 is an exciting transient event, likely powered by the tidal disruption of a star by a massive black hole. The distance to the source, its transient nature, and high internal column density serve to complicate several means of estimating the mass of the black hole. Utilizing newly refined relationships between black hole mass, radio luminosity, and X-ray luminosity, and de-beaming the source flux, a weak constraint on the black hole mass is obtained: log(M{sub BH}/M{sub sun}) = 5.5 {+-} 1.1 (1{sigma} confidence). The confidence interval is determined from the current intrinsic scatter in the relation, which includes effects from X-ray variability and accretion modes. This mass range is broad, but it includes low values that are consistent with some variability arguments, and it safely excludes high-mass values where it becomes impossible for black holes to disrupt stars. Future refinements in relationships between black hole mass, radio luminosity, and X-ray luminosity will be able to reduce the uncertainty in related mass estimates by a factor of two, making this technique comparable to estimates based on the M-{sigma} relationship. Possible difficulties in placing such events on the fundamental plane, a potential future test of their suitability, and uncertainties in mass stemming from variable X-ray emission are discussed. As near- and longer-term survey efforts such as Pan-STARRS, LSST, LOFAR, the Square Kilometer Array, and eROSITA begin to detect many tidal disruption events, black hole mass estimates from combined X-ray and radio observations may prove to be very pragmatic.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

WHEN CAN GRAVITATIONAL-WAVE OBSERVATIONS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN BLACK HOLES AND NEUTRON STARS?

Gravitational-wave observations of compact binaries have the potential to uncover the distribution of masses and spins of black holes and neutron stars in the universe. The binary components' physical parameters can be inferred from their effect on the phasing of the gravitational-wave signal, but a partial degeneracy between the components' mass ratio and their spins limits our ability to measure the individual component masses. At the typical signal amplitudes expected by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (signal-to-noise ratios between 10 and 20), we show that it will in many cases be difficult to distinguish whether the components are neutron stars or black holes. We identify when the masses of the binary components could be unambiguously measured outside the range of current observations: a system with a chirp mass M {<=} 0.871 M{sub Sun} would unambiguously contain the smallest-mass neutron star observed, and a system with M {>=} 2.786 M{sub Sun} must contain a black hole. However, additional information would be needed to distinguish between a binary containing two 1.35 M{sub Sun} neutron stars and an exotic neutron-star-black-hole binary. We also identify those configurations that could be unambiguously identified as black hole binaries, and show how the observation of an electromagnetic counterpart to a neutron-star-black-hole binary could be used to constrain the black hole spin.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

MASSIVE BLACK HOLE PAIRS IN CLUMPY, SELF-GRAVITATING CIRCUMNUCLEAR DISKS: STOCHASTIC ORBITAL DECAY

We study the dynamics of massive black hole pairs in clumpy gaseous circumnuclear disks. We track the orbital decay of the light, secondary black hole M {sub .2} orbiting around the more massive primary at the center of the disk, using N-body/smoothed particle hydrodynamic simulations. We find that the gravitational interaction of M {sub .2} with massive clumps M {sub cl} erratically perturbs the otherwise smooth orbital decay. In close encounters with massive clumps, gravitational slingshots can kick the secondary black hole out of the disk plane. The black hole moving on an inclined orbit then experiences the weaker dynamical friction of the stellar background, resulting in a longer orbital decay timescale. Interactions between clumps can also favor orbital decay when the black hole is captured by a massive clump that is segregating toward the center of the disk. The stochastic behavior of the black hole orbit emerges mainly when the ratio M {sub .2}/M {sub cl} falls below unity, with decay timescales ranging from ∼1 to ∼50 Myr. This suggests that describing the cold clumpy phase of the interstellar medium in self-consistent simulations of galaxy mergers, albeit so far neglected, is important to predict the black hole dynamics in galaxy merger remnants.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Nonsingular black holes as dark matter

It is commonly assumed that low-mass primordial black holes cannot constitute a significant fraction of the dark matter in our universe due to their predicted short lifetimes from the conventional Hawking radiation and evaporation process. Assuming physical black holes are nonsingular—likely due to quantum gravity or other high-energy physics—we demonstrate that a large class of nonsingular black holes have finite evaporation temperatures. This can lead to slowly evaporating low-mass black holes or to remnant mass states that circumvent traditional evaporation constraints. As a proof of concept, we explore the limiting curvature hypothesis and the evaporation process of a nonsingular black hole solution in two-dimensional dilaton gravity. We identify generic features of the radiation profile and compare them with known regular black holes, such as the Bardeen solution in four dimensions. Remnant masses are proportional to the fundamental length scale, and we argue that slowly evaporating low-mass nonsingular black holes, or remnants, are viable dark matter candidates. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Simulating merging binary black holes with nearly extremal spins

Astrophysically realistic black holes may have spins that are nearly extremal (i.e., close to 1 in dimensionless units). Numerical simulations of binary black holes are important tools both for calibrating analytical templates for gravitational-wave detection and for exploring the nonlinear dynamics of curved spacetime. However, all previous simulations of binary-black-hole inspiral, merger, and ringdown have been limited by an apparently insurmountable barrier: the merging holes' spins could not exceed 0.93, which is still a long way from the maximum possible value in terms of the physical effects of the spin. In this paper, we surpass this limit for the first time, opening the way to explore numerically the behavior of merging, nearly extremal black holes. Specifically, using an improved initial-data method suitable for binary black holes with nearly extremal spins, we simulate the inspiral (through 12.5 orbits), merger and ringdown of two equal-mass black holes with equal spins of magnitude 0.95 antialigned with the orbital angular momentum.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Brane holes

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that in models with large extra dimensions under special conditions one can extract information from the interior of 4D black holes. For this purpose we study an induced geometry on a test brane in the background of a higher-dimensional static black string or a black brane. We show that, at the intersection surface of the test brane and the bulk black string or brane, the induced metric has an event horizon, so that the test brane contains a black hole. We call it a brane hole. When the test brane moves with a constant velocity V with respect to the bulk black object, it also has a brane hole, but its gravitational radius r{sub e} is greater than the size of the bulk black string or brane r{sub 0} by the factor (1-V{sup 2}){sup -1}. We show that bulk ''photon'' emitted in the region between r{sub 0} and r{sub e} can meet the test brane again at a point outside r{sub e}. From the point of view of observers on the test brane, the events of emission and capture of the bulk photon are connected by a spacelike curve in the induced geometry. This shows an example in which extra dimensions can be used to extract information from the interior of a lower-dimensional black object. Instead of the bulk black string or brane, one can also consider a bulk geometry without a horizon. We show that nevertheless the induced geometry on the moving test brane can include a brane hole. In such a case the extra dimensions can be used to extract information from the complete region of the brane-hole interior. We discuss thermodynamic properties of brane holes and interesting questions which arise when such an extra-dimensional channel for the information mining exists.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Entanglement entropy of two black holes and entanglement entropic force

We study the entanglement entropy S{sub C} of the massless free scalar field on the outside region C of two black holes A and B whose radii are R{sub 1} and R{sub 2} and how it depends on the distance r(>>R{sub 1},R{sub 2}) between two black holes. If we can consider the entanglement entropy as thermodynamic entropy, we can see the entropic force acting on the two black holes from the r dependence of S{sub C}. We develop the computational method based on that of Bombelli et al. to obtain the r dependence of S{sub C} of scalar fields whose Lagrangian is quadratic with respect to the scalar fields. First, we study S{sub C} in (d+1)-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. In this case the state of the massless free scalar field is the Minkowski vacuum state, and we replace two black holes by two imaginary spheres and take the trace over the degrees of freedom residing in the imaginary spheres. We obtain the leading term of S{sub C} with respect to 1/r. The result is S{sub C}=S{sub A}+S{sub B}+(1/r{sup 2d-2})G(R{sub 1},R{sub 2}), where S{sub A} and S{sub B} are the entanglement entropy on the inside region of A and B, respectively, and G(R{sub 1},R{sub 2}){<=}0. We do not calculate G(R{sub 1},R{sub 2}) in detail, but we show how to calculate it. In the black hole case we use the method used in the Minkowski spacetime case with some modifications. We show that S{sub C} can be expected to be the same form as that in the Minkowski spacetime case. But in the black hole case, S{sub A} and S{sub B} depend on r, so we do not fully obtain the r dependence of S{sub C}. Finally, we assume that the entanglement entropy can be regarded as thermodynamic entropy and consider the entropic force acting on two black holes. We argue how to separate the entanglement entropic force from other forces and how to cancel S{sub A} and S{sub B} whose r dependences are not obtained. Then we obtain the physical prediction, which can be tested experimentally in principle.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2013

Optical transitions of holes in uniaxially compressed germanium

Spontaneous emission and photoconductivity of germanium with gallium impurity are studied for determining the energy spectrum of hole states in this material in which radiation can be induced as a result of transitions of holes between these states. Holes were excited by electric field pulses with a strength up to 12 kV/cm at T = 4.2 K under uniaxial compression of samples up to 12 kbar. It has been found that hole emission spectra for transitions between resonant and local states of the impurity have a structure identical to the photoconductivity and absorption spectra. Transitions from resonance states, which are associated with the heavy hole subband, have not been detected. It has been found that in an electric field lower than 100 V/cm, a compressed crystal emits as a result of transitions of heavy holes. In a strong electric field (1-3 kV/cm), emission is observed in the energy range up to 140 meV, and transitions with emission of TA and LO phonons appear in such a field. The emission spectra under pressures of 0 and 12 kbar differ insignificantly. Hence, it follows that the contributions from heavy and light holes in a strong electric field are indistinguishable.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Rapid and Bright Stellar-mass Binary Black Hole Mergers in Active Galactic Nuclei

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) found direct evidence for double black hole binaries emitting gravitational waves. Galactic nuclei are expected to harbor the densest population of stellar-mass black holes. A significant fraction (∼30%) of these black holes can reside in binaries. We examine the fate of the black hole binaries in active galactic nuclei, which get trapped in the inner region of the accretion disk around the central supermassive black hole. We show that binary black holes can migrate into and then rapidly merge within the disk well within a Salpeter time. The binaries may also accrete a significant amount of gas from the disk, well above the Eddington rate. This could lead to detectable X-ray or gamma-ray emission, but would require hyper-Eddington accretion with a few percent radiative efficiency, comparable to thin disks. We discuss implications for gravitational-wave observations and black hole population studies. We estimate that Advanced LIGO may detect ∼20 such gas-induced binary mergers per year.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

A black hole mass determination for the compact galaxy MRK 1216

Mrk 1216 is a nearby, early-type galaxy with a small effective radius of 2.8 kpc and a large stellar velocity dispersion of 308 km s{sup −1} for its K-band luminosity of 1.4×10{sup 11} L{sub ⊙}. Using integral field spectroscopy assisted by adaptive optics from Gemini North, we measure spatially resolved stellar kinematics within ∼450 pc of the galaxy nucleus. The galaxy exhibits regular rotation with velocities of ±180 km s{sup −1} and a sharply peaked velocity dispersion profile that reaches 425 km s{sup −1} at the center. We fit axisymmetric, orbit-based dynamical models to the combination of these high angular resolution kinematics, large-scale kinematics extending to roughly three effective radii, and Hubble Space Telescope imaging, resulting in a constraint of the mass of the central black hole in Mrk 1216. After exploring several possible sources of systematics that commonly affect stellar-dynamical black hole mass measurements, we find a black hole mass of M{sub BH}=(4.9±1.7)×10{sup 9} M{sub ⊙} and an H-band stellar mass-to-light ratio of Υ{sub H}=1.3±0.4 Υ{sub ⊙} (1σ uncertainties). Mrk 1216 is consistent with the local black hole mass–stellar velocity dispersion relation, but is a factor of ∼5–10 larger than expectations from the black hole mass–bulge luminosity and black hole mass–bulge mass correlations when conservatively using the galaxy’s total luminosity or stellar mass. This behavior is quite similar to the extensively studied compact galaxy NGC 1277. Resembling the z∼2 quiescent galaxies, Mrk 1216 may be a passively evolved descendant, and perhaps reflects a previous era when galaxies contained over-massive black holes relative to their bulge luminosities/masses, and the growth of host galaxies had yet to catch up.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Supermassive Black Holes as the Regulators of Star Formation in Central Galaxies

We present the relationship between the black hole mass, stellar mass, and star formation rate (SFR) of a diverse group of 91 galaxies with dynamically measured black hole masses. For our sample of galaxies with a variety of morphologies and other galactic properties, we find that the specific SFR is a smoothly decreasing function of the ratio between black hole mass and stellar mass, or what we call the specific black hole mass. In order to explain this relation, we propose a physical framework where the gradual suppression of a galaxy’s star formation activity results from the adjustment to an increase in specific black hole mass, and accordingly, an increase in the amount of heating. From this framework, it follows that at least some galaxies with intermediate specific black hole masses are in a steady state of partial quiescence with intermediate specific SFRs, implying that both transitioning and steady-state galaxies live within this region that is known as the “green valley.” With respect to galaxy formation models, our results present an important diagnostic with which to test various prescriptions of black hole feedback and its effects on star formation activity.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

LONG-TERM TREND OF SOLAR CORONAL HOLE DISTRIBUTION FROM 1975 TO 2014

We developed an automated prediction technique for coronal holes using potential magnetic field extrapolation in the solar corona to construct a database of coronal holes appearing from 1975 February to 2015 July (Carrington rotations from 1625 to 2165). Coronal holes are labeled with the location, size, and average magnetic field of each coronal hole on the photosphere and source surface. As a result, we identified 3335 coronal holes and found that the long-term distribution of coronal holes shows a similar pattern known as the magnetic butterfly diagram, and polar/low-latitude coronal holes tend to decrease/increase in the last solar minimum relative to the previous two minima.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations of Electron Vortex Magnetic Hole in the Turbulent Magnetosheath Plasma

We report on the observations of an electron vortex magnetic hole corresponding to a new type of coherent structure in the turbulent magnetosheath plasma using the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission data. The magnetic hole is characterized by a magnetic depression, a density peak, a total electron temperature increase (with a parallel temperature decrease but a perpendicular temperature increase), and strong currents carried by the electrons. The current has a dip in the core region and a peak in the outer region of the magnetic hole. The estimated size of the magnetic hole is about 0.23 ρ {sub i} (∼30 ρ {sub e}) in the quasi-circular cross-section perpendicular to its axis, where ρ {sub i} and ρ {sub e} are respectively the proton and electron gyroradius. There are no clear enhancements seen in high-energy electron fluxes. However, there is an enhancement in the perpendicular electron fluxes at 90° pitch angle inside the magnetic hole, implying that the electrons are trapped within it. The variations of the electron velocity components V {sub em} and V {sub en} suggest that an electron vortex is formed by trapping electrons inside the magnetic hole in the cross-section in the M – N plane. These observations demonstrate the existence of a new type of coherent structures behaving as an electron vortex magnetic hole in turbulent space plasmas as predicted by recent kinetic simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2017

Modeling the Black Hole Merger of QSO 3C 186

Recent detailed observations of the radio-loud quasar 3C 186 indicate the possibility that a supermassive recoiling black hole is moving away from the host galaxy at a speed of nearly 2100 km s{sup −1}. If this is the case, we can model the mass ratio and spins of the progenitor binary black hole using the results of numerical relativity simulations. We find that the black holes in the progenitor must have comparable masses with a mass ratio q=m{sub 1}/m{sub 2}>1/4 and the spin of the primary black hole must be α{sub 2}=S{sub 2}/m{sub 2}{sup 2}>0.5. The final remnant of the merger is bounded by α{sub f}>0.5, and at least 4% of the total mass of the binary system is radiated into gravitational waves. We consider four different pre-merger scenarios that further narrow those values. Assuming, for instance, a cold accretion driven merger model, we find that the binary had comparable masses with q=0.58{sub −0.19}{sup +0.39} and the normalized spins of the larger and smaller black holes were α{sub 1}=0.93{sub −0.31}{sup +0.05} and α{sub 2}=0.93{sub −0.10}{sup +0.06}. We can also estimate the final recoiling black hole spin α{sub f}=0.91{sub −0.05}{sup +0.02} and that the system radiated 8.6{sub −1.8}{sup +1.0}% of its total mass, making the merger of those black holes the most energetic event ever observed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2018

Observational signatures of massive black hole formation in the early Universe

Space telescope observations of massive black holes during their formation may be key to understanding the origin of supermassive black holes and high-redshift quasars. To design diagnostics for their detection and confirmation, we study a simulation of a nascent massive ‘direct-collapse’ black hole that induces a wave of nearby massive metal-free star formation, unique to this seeding scenario and to very high redshifts. In this work, we describe a series of distinct colours and emission line strengths, dependent on the relative strength of star formation and black hole accretion. We predict that the forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope might be able to detect and distinguish a young galaxy that hosts a direct-collapse black hole in this configuration at redshift 15 with as little as a 20,000-second total exposure time across four filters, critical for constraining the seeding mechanisms and early growth rates of supermassive black holes. We also discover that a massive seed black hole produces strong, H 2 -dissociating Lyman–Werner radiation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Ultrafast hot-hole injection modifies hot-electron dynamics in Au/p-GaN heterostructures

A fundamental understanding of hot-carrier dynamics in photo-excited metal nanostructures is needed to unlock their potential for photodetection and photocatalysis. Despite numerous studies on the ultrafast dynamics of hot electrons, so far, the temporal evolution of hot holes in metal-semiconductor heterostructures remains unknown. Here, we report ultrafast (t < 200 fs) hot-hole injection from Au nanoparticles into the valence band of p-type GaN. The removal of hot holes from below the Au Fermi level is observed to substantially alter the thermalization dynamics of hot electrons, reducing the peak electronic temperature and the electron-phonon coupling time of the Au nanoparticles. First-principles calculations reveal that hot-hole injection modifies the relaxation dynamics of hot electrons in Au nanoparticles by modulating the electronic structure of the metal on timescales commensurate with electron-electron scattering. Overall, these results advance our understanding of hot-hole dynamics in metal-semiconductor heterostructures and offer additional strategies for manipulating the dynamics of hot carriers on ultrafast timescales. Photo-excited gold nanoparticles are shown to provide ultrafast and efficient hot-hole injection to the valence band of p-type GaN, substantially altering hot-electron dynamics in the nanoparticles and forming a basis to design hot-hole-based optoelectronics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Electron–hole liquid in a van der Waals heterostructure photocell at room temperature

In semiconductors, photo-excited charge carriers exist as a gas of electrons and holes, bound electron–hole pairs (excitons), biexcitons and trions. At sufficiently high densities, the non-equilibrium system of electrons (e-) and holes (h + ) may merge into an electronic liquid droplet. Here, we report on the electron–hole liquid in ultrathin MoTe2 photocells revealed through multi-parameter dynamic photoresponse microscopy (MPDPM). By combining rich visualization with comprehensive analysis of very large data sets acquired through MPDPM, we find that ultrafast laser excitation at a graphene–MoTe 2 –graphene interface leads to the abrupt formation of ring-like spatial patterns in the photocurrent response as a function of increasing optical power at T = 297 K. The sudden onset to these patterns, together with extreme sublinear power dependence and picosecond-scale photocurrent dynamics, provide strong evidence for the formation of a two-dimensional electron–hole liquid droplet. The electron–hole liquid, which features a macroscopic population of correlated electrons and holes, may offer a path to room-temperature optoelectronic devices that harness collective electronic phenomena.

phonons, thermal conductivity, thermoelectric, spi↗
DOE OSTI2021

Single-hole physics in GaAs/AlGaAs double quantum dot system with strong spin–orbit interaction

There is rapidly expanding interest in exploiting the spin of valence-band holes rather than conduction-band electrons for spin qubit semiconductor circuits composed of coupled quantum dots. The hole platform offers stronger spin–orbit interaction (SOI), large difference between in-dot-plane and out-of-dot-plane g-factors, i.e. g-factor anisotropy, and a significantly reduced hyperfine coupling to nuclei in the host material. These attributes collectively can deliver fast all-electric coherent spin manipulation, efficient spin-flip inter-dot tunneling channels, a voltage tunable effective g-factor, a g-factor adjustable to nearly zero in an appropriately oriented external magnetic field, and long spin relaxation and coherence times. In this work, we review our recent work on the physics of heavy holes confined in a planar GaAs/AlGaAs double quantum dot system with strong SOI. For a single-hole, we have performed resonant tunneling magneto-spectroscopy to extract spin-flip and spin-conserving tunneling strengths, implemented spin-flip Landau–Zener–Stückelberg–Majorana (LZSM) interferometry, determined the spin relaxation time T 1 as a function of magnetic field using a fast single-shot latched charge technique, electrically tuned the effective g-factor revealed by electric dipole spin resonance, and found signatures of the hyperfine interaction and dynamic nuclear polarization with holes. For two-holes, we have measured the energy spectrum in the presence of strong SOI (and so not limited by Pauli spin blockade), quantified the heavy-hole (HH) g-factor anisotropy on tilting the magnetic field, described a scheme to employ HHs whose g-factor is tunable to nearly zero for an in-plane magnetic field for a coherent photon-to-spin interface, and observed a well-defined LZSM interference pattern at small magnetic fields on pulsing through the singlet-triplet anti-crossing.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗