Twilight News Edition 548
Edition 548, 25th July 2024
SCIENTISTS UNCOVER DARK MATTER AS THE FORCE DRIVING BLACK HOLE MERGERS
By Raghav Jain
A new connection between supermassive black holes and dark matter particles has been found by scientists. This discovery can potentially resolve the longstanding "final parsec problem" in astronomy.
In a study published in the journal Physical Review Letters, researchers propose that the previously unnoticed behavior of dark matter particles may have been responsible for the merging of supermassive black hole pairs into a single, more extensive black hole.
In 2023, astrophysicists detected a widespread low-frequency gravitational wave signal. It was suggested that this background signal originated from numerous merging pairs of supermassive black holes, each billions of times more massive than our Sun.
The theoretical models indicated that these immense objects halt their approach when they are nearly a parsec apart, approximately three light years, which prevents them from merging.
Gonzalo Alonso-Álvarez, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Toronto, remarked that considering the previously disregarded impact of dark matter can aid supermassive black holes in overcoming the final phase of separation and merging.
Alonso-Álvarez emphasized that their calculations explain this phenomenon, in contrast to previous understanding.
The investigation was conducted by Professor James Cline from McGill University.
The team developed a new model exhibiting that dark matter particles interact without disassembling, and it was found that the viscosity of the dark matter halo facilitated the spiraling inward and combining of supermassive black holes.
Most galaxies are believed to possess supermassive black holes at their compromises. When two galaxies collide, these supermassive black holes eventually orbit each other.
The gravitational force from nearby stars restricts their motion, causing them to spiral inward.
A researcher named Alonso-Álvarez remarked that the assumption of dark matter particles interacting with each other is a crucial aspect that not all dark matter models include. According to him, only models with this interaction can address the conclusive parsec problem.
JOE BIDEN DRAWS BACK FROM U.S. PRESIDENT ELECTIONS
By Medha Jain
The U.S. President, Joe Biden, announced on 21 July that he has decided to drop out of the presidential elections due to age problems. He quickly endorsed the vice president, Kamala Harris, to go for President and face Donald Trump, while Biden's party would encourage her.
"It has been my honour to serve you as your President. While I intend to seek reelection, I believe I must stand down and focus on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term." Biden wrote in a letter.
Kamala Harris praised Biden's "selfless and patriotic act" and said she intends to "earn and win" her party's nomination. "I will do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party — and unite our nation — to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda," she said.
Compiled By Medha & Raghav Jain
Edited By Annika Jain