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At least 883 records · Page 49

The spin of the black hole in the X-ray binary Nova Muscae 1991

The bright soft X-ray transient Nova Muscae 1991 was intensively observed during its entire eight-month outburst using the Large Area Counter on board the Ginga satellite. Recently, we obtained accurate estimates of the mass of the black hole primary, the orbital inclination angle of the system, and the distance. Using these crucial input data and Ginga X-ray spectra, we have measured the spin of the black hole using the continuum-fitting method. For four X-ray spectra of extraordinary quality we have determined the dimensionless spin parameter of the black hole to be a{sub ∗}=0.63{sub −0.19}{sup +0.16} (1σ confidence level), a result that we confirm using 11 additional spectra of lower quality. Our spin estimate challenges two published results: it is somewhat higher than the value predicted by a proposed relationship between jet power and spin; and we find that the spin of the black hole is decidedly prograde, not retrograde as has been claimed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Regular black holes in f(T) Gravity through a nonlinear electrodynamics source

We seek to obtain a new class of exact solutions of regular black holes in f(T) Gravity with non-linear electrodynamics material content, with spherical symmetry in 4D. The equations of motion provide the regaining of various solutions of General Relativity, as a particular case where the function f(T)=T. We developed a powerful method for finding exact solutions, where we get the first new class of regular black holes solutions in the f(T) Theory, where all the geometrics scalars disappear at the origin of the radial coordinate and are finite everywhere, as well as a new class of singular black holes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

THE INTERMEDIATE-MASS BLACK HOLE CANDIDATE IN THE CENTER OF NGC 404: NEW EVIDENCE FROM RADIO CONTINUUM OBSERVATIONS

We present the results of deep, high-resolution, 5 GHz Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) observations of the nearby, dwarf lenticular galaxy and intermediate-mass black hole candidate (M{sub BH} {approx} 4.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 5} M{sub Sun }), NGC 404. For the first time, radio emission at frequencies above 1.4 GHz has been detected in this galaxy. We found a modestly resolved source in the NGC 404 nucleus with a total radio luminosity of 7.6 {+-} 0.7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 17} W Hz{sup -1} at 5 GHz and a spectral index from 5 to 7.45 GHz of {alpha} = -0.88 {+-} 0.30. NGC 404 is only the third central intermediate-mass black hole candidate detected in the radio regime with subarcsecond resolution. The position of the radio source is consistent with the optical center of the galaxy and the location of a known, hard X-ray point source (L{sub X} {approx} 1.2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 37} erg s{sup -1}). The faint radio and X-ray emission could conceivably be produced by an X-ray binary, star formation, a supernova remnant, or a low-luminosity active galactic nucleus powered by an intermediate-mass black hole. In light of our new EVLA observations, we find that the most likely scenario is an accreting intermediate-mass black hole, with other explanations being either incompatible with the observed X-ray and/or radio luminosities or statistically unlikely.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Time evolution of the radial perturbations and linear stability of solitons and black holes in a generalized Skyrme model

We study the time evolution of the radial perturbation for self-gravitating soliton and black-hole solutions in a generalized Skyrme model in which a dilaton is present. The background solutions were obtained recently by some of the authors. For both the solitons and the black holes two branches of solutions exist which merge at some critical value of the corresponding parameter. The results show that, similar to the case without a scalar field, one of the branches is stable against radial perturbations and the other is unstable. The conclusions for the linear stability of the black holes in the generalized Skyrme model are also in agreement with the results from the thermodynamical stability analysis based on the turning point method.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Diagnostics of a putative black hole at the Galactic center

A review is given of methods to constrain the mass of a putative black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. These approaches are based on: (1) tidal disruption of stars by a massive black hole; (2) displacement between Sgr A* and either of the IRS 16 components; (3) electron-positron pair production by a black hole, and (4) mass outflow centered on IRS 16/Sgr A* complex.

Ozernoy, Leonid↗

THE BLACK HOLE MASS-GALAXY LUMINOSITY RELATIONSHIP FOR SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY QUASARS

We investigate the relationship between the mass of the central supermassive black hole, M {sub BH}, and the host galaxy luminosity, L {sub gal}, in a sample of quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7. We use composite quasar spectra binned by black hole mass and redshift to assess galaxy features that would otherwise be overwhelmed by noise in individual spectra. The black hole mass is calculated using the photoionization method, and the host galaxy luminosity is inferred from the depth of the Ca II H+K features in the composite spectra. We evaluate the evolution in the M {sub BH}-L {sub gal} relationship by examining the redshift dependence of Δ log M {sub BH}, the offset in M {sub BH} from the local M {sub BH}-L {sub gal} relationship. There is little systematic trend in Δ log M {sub BH} out to z = 0.8. Using the width of the [O III] emission line as a proxy for the stellar velocity dispersion, σ{sub *}, we find agreement of our derived host luminosities with the locally observed Faber-Jackson relation. This supports the utility of the width of the [O III] line as a proxy for σ{sub *} in statistical studies.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Primordial black holes and Co-Decaying dark matter

Models of Co-Decaying dark matter lead to an early matter dominated epoch – prior to BBN – which results in an enhancement of the growth of dark matter substructure. If these primordial structures collapse further they can form primordial black holes providing an additional dark matter candidate. We derive the mass fraction in these black holes (which is not monochromatic) and consider observational constraints on how much of the dark matter could be comprised in these relics. We find that in many cases they can be a significant fraction of the dark matter. Interestingly, the masses of these black holes can be near the solar-mass range providing a new mechanism for producing black holes like those recently detected by LIGO.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗

Stability of Gauss-Bonnet black holes in anti-de Sitter space-time against scalar field condensation

We study the stability of static, hyperbolic Gauss-Bonnet black holes in (4+1)-dimensional anti-de Sitter (AdS) space-time against the formation of scalar hair. Close to extremality the black holes possess a near-horizon topology of AdS{sub 2}xH{sup 3} such that within a certain range of the scalar field mass one would expect that they become unstable to the condensation of an uncharged scalar field. We confirm this numerically and observe that there exists a family of hairy black hole solutions labeled by the number of nodes of the scalar field function. We construct explicit examples of solutions with a scalar field that possesses zero nodes, one node, and two nodes, respectively, and show that the solutions with nodes persist in the limit of Einstein gravity, i.e. for vanishing Gauss-Bonnet coupling. We observe that the interval of the mass for which scalar field condensation appears decreases with increasing Gauss-Bonnet coupling and/or with increasing node number.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Thermodynamics and luminosities of rainbow black holes

Doubly special relativity (DSR) is an effective model for encoding quantum gravity in flat spacetime. As result of the nonlinearity of the Lorentz transformation, the energy-momentum dispersion relation is modified. One simple way to import DSR to curved spacetime is ''Gravity's rainbow'', where the spacetime background felt by a test particle would depend on its energy. Focusing on the ''Amelino-Camelia dispersion relation'' which is E{sup 2} = m{sup 2}+p{sup 2}[1−η(E/m{sub p}){sup n}] with n > 0, we investigate the thermodynamical properties of a Schwarzschild black hole and a static uncharged black string for all possible values of η and n in the framework of rainbow gravity. It shows that there are non-vanishing minimum masses for these two black holes in the cases with η < 0 and n ≥ 2. Considering effects of rainbow gravity on both the Hawking temperature and radius of the event horizon, we use the geometric optics approximation to compute luminosities of a 2D black hole, a Schwarzschild one and a static uncharged black string. It is found that the luminosities can be significantly suppressed or boosted depending on the values of η and n.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

The influence of hyperon potential on the black-hole-forming failed supernovae

We investigate the emergence of hyperons in black-hole-forming failed supernovae, which are caused by the dynamical collapse of nonrotating massive stars. Attractive and repulsive cases are examined for the potential of {Sigma} hyperons to find that it affects the accompanied neutrino emission through the core-collapse dynamics. The neutrino duration time during black hole formation for the repulsive case is {approx}15% longer than that for the attractive case.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Observational constraints on black hole accretion disks

We review the empirical constraints on accretion disk models of stellar-mass black holes based on recent multiwavelength observational results. In addition to time-averaged emission spectra, the time evolutions of the intensity and spectrum provide critical information about the structure, stability, and dynamics of the disk. Using the basic thermal Keplerian disk paradigm, we consider in particular generalizations of the standard optically thin disk models needed to accommodate the extremely rich variety of dynamical phenomena exhibited by black hole candidates ranging from flares of electron-positron annihilations and quasiperiodic oscillations in the X-ray intensity to X-ray novae activity. These in turn provide probes of the disk structure and global geometry. The goal is to construct a single unified framework to interpret a large variety of black hole phenomena. This paper will concentrate on the interface between basic theory and observational data modeling.

Liang, Edison P.↗

Scattering in black hole backgrounds and higher-spin amplitudes. Part II

We continue to investigate correspondences between, on the one hand, scattering amplitudes for massive higher-spin particles and gravitons in appropriate quantum-to-classical limits, and on the other hand, classical gravitational interactions of spinning black holes according to general relativity. We first construct an ansatz for a gravitational Compton amplitude, at tree level, constrained only by locality, crossing symmetry, unitarity and consistency with the linearized-Kerr 3-point amplitude, to all orders in the black hole’s spin. We then explore the extent to which a unique classical Compton amplitude can be identified by comparing with the results of the classical process of scattering long-wavelength gravitational waves off an exact Kerr black hole, determined by appropriate solutions of the Teukolsky equation. Up to fourth order in spin, we find complete agreement with a previously conjectured exponential form of the tree-level Compton amplitude. At higher orders, we extract tree-level contributions from the Teukolsky amplitude by an analytic continuation from a physical (a/GM < 1) to a particle-like (a/GM > 1) regime. Up to the sixth order in spin, we identify a unique conservative part of the amplitude which is insensitive both to the choice of boundary conditions at the black hole horizon and to branch choices in the analytic continuation. The remainder of the amplitude is determined modulo an overall sign from a branch choice, with the sign flipping under exchanging purely ingoing and purely outgoing boundary conditions at the horizon. Along the way, we make contact with novel applications of massive spinor-helicity variables pertaining to their relation to EFT operators and (spinning) partial amplitudes.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

REVERBERATION MAPPING OF A LOW-MASS BLACK HOLE IN A NARROW-LINE SEYFERT 1 GALAXY

We present results of a reverberation mapping (RM) campaign on the low black hole mass narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxy SDSS J113913.91+335551.1 (hereafter SL01). Using the H{beta} measurements, we find a time lag {tau}= 12.5{sup +0.5}{sub -11} days and a broad-line velocity width of 1450 km s{sup -1} which implies a black hole mass of 3.8{sup +0.6}{sub -2.8} Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} M{sub Sun }. To further bolster our time lag results, we employ a secondary method based on the multivariate correlation function as described in Chelouche and Zucker, in which case we obtain consistent lags for the Balmer lines, yet without the need to spectrally deconvolve line from continuum emission processes. Given SL01's luminosity (L{sub bol} Almost-Equal-To 7 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 43} erg s{sup -1}), we estimate an Eddington ratio (L{sub bol}/L{sub Edd}) of {approx}0.18. This fairly low-mass determination and rather high L{sub bol}/L{sub Edd} is consistent with the current paradigm that the nuclei of NLS1 galaxies host small black holes (as low as 10{sup 6} M{sub Sun }) with high accretion rates. SL01 is one of only a few NLS1s to date with robust RM results.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

BLACK HOLE FORAGING: FEEDBACK DRIVES FEEDING

We suggest a new picture of supermassive black hole (SMBH) growth in galaxy centers. Momentum-driven feedback from an accreting hole gives significant orbital energy, but little angular momentum to the surrounding gas. Once central accretion drops, the feedback weakens and swept-up gas falls back toward the SMBH on near-parabolic orbits. These intersect near the black hole with partially opposed specific angular momenta, causing further infall and ultimately the formation of a small-scale accretion disk. The feeding rates into the disk typically exceed Eddington by factors of a few, growing the hole on the Salpeter timescale and stimulating further feedback. Natural consequences of this picture include (1) the formation and maintenance of a roughly toroidal distribution of obscuring matter near the hole; (2) random orientations of successive accretion disk episodes; (3) the possibility of rapid SMBH growth; (4) tidal disruption of stars and close binaries formed from infalling gas, resulting in visible flares and ejection of hypervelocity stars; (5) super-solar abundances of the matter accreting on to the SMBH; and (6) a lower central dark-matter density, and hence annihilation signal, than adiabatic SMBH growth implies. We also suggest a simple subgrid recipe for implementing this process in numerical simulations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

PATOKA: Simulating Electromagnetic Observables of Black Hole Accretion

Abstract The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) has released analyses of reconstructed images of horizon-scale millimeter emission near the supermassive black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy. Parts of the analyses made use of a large library of synthetic black hole images and spectra, which were produced using numerical general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics fluid simulations and polarized ray tracing. In this article, we describe the PATOKA pipeline, which was used to generate the Illinois contribution to the EHT simulation library. We begin by describing the relevant accretion systems and radiative processes. We then describe the details of the three numerical codes we use, iharm , ipole , and igrmonty , paying particular attention to differences between the current generation of the codes and the originally published versions. Finally, we provide a brief overview of simulated data as produced by PATOKA and conclude with a discussion of limitations and future directions.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

An 800-million-solar-mass black hole in a significantly neutral Universe at a redshift of 7.5

Quasars are the most luminous non-transient objects known and as a result they enable studies of the Universe at the earliest cosmic epochs. Despite extensive efforts, however, the quasar ULAS J1120 + 0641 at redshift z = 7.09 has remained the only one known at z > 7 for more than half a decade. Here we report observations of the quasar ULAS J134208.10 + 092838.61 (hereafter J1342 + 0928) at redshift z = 7.54. This quasar has a bolometric luminosity of 4 × 10 13 times the luminosity of the Sun and a black-hole mass of 8 × 10 8 solar masses. The existence of this supermassive black hole when the Universe was only 690 million years old—just five per cent of its current age—reinforces models of early black-hole growth that allow black holes with initial masses of more than about 104 solar masses or episodic hyper-Eddington accretion. We see strong evidence of absorption of the spectrum of the quasar redwards of the Lyman α emission line (the Gunn–Peterson damping wing), as would be expected if a significant amount (more than 10 per cent) of the hydrogen in the intergalactic medium surrounding J1342 + 0928 is neutral. We derive such a significant fraction of neutral hydrogen, although the exact fraction depends on the modelling. However, even in our most conservative analysis we find a fraction of more than 0.33 (0.11) at 68 per cent (95 per cent) probability, indicating that we are probing well within the reionization epoch of the Universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Do black holes remember what they are made of?

We study the ringdown signal of black holes formed in prompt-collapse binary neutron star mergers. We analyze data from 47 numerical relativity simulations. We show that the ($l$ = 2, $m$ = 2) and ($l$ = 2, $m$ = 1) multipoles of the gravitational wave signal are well fitted by decaying damped exponentials, as predicted by black-hole perturbation theory. We show that the ratio of the amplitude in the two modes depends on the progenitor binary mass ratio q and reduced tidal parameter $\overline{Λ}$. Unfortunately, the numerical uncertainty in our data is too large to fully quantify this dependency. If confirmed, these results will enable novel tests of general relativity in the presence of matter with next-generation gravitational-wave observatories.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Towards quantum black hole microstates

Abstract We study the cohomology of local BPS operators in$$ \mathcal{N} $$ N = 4 Yang-Mills theory. The finiteNcohomologies consist of the graviton part (subject to the stringy exclusion principle) and the rest which may describe black hole microstates in quantum AdS/CFT. We construct an infinite tower of non-graviton cohomologies in the SU(2) theory and study to what extent they simulate quantum black holes. We find signals for partial no-hair behaviors by showing that certain gravitons are forbidden to dress these cohomologies. This is in qualitative agreement with the perturbative hairs allowed around black holes, which also leads us to a natural setup to construct hairy BPS black holes. The cohomologies are simpler to study in the BMN matrix model truncation of the classical field theory.

Physics↗