A new theoretical study published in Physical Review D suggests that black holes spinning at exceptionally high speeds might overcome thermodynamic restrictions to divide into two.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
A theoretical study suggests that black holes spinning at extreme speeds might split into two, according to research published in Physical Review D titled "When Black Holes Admit Pair-of-pants Topologies."
Black holes are typically expected to merge when they collide, rather than divide. A primary obstacle to a black hole splitting is thermodynamics, specifically the concept of entropy, which describes the number of microscopic arrangements a system can have while appearing unchanged from the outside.
For a non-rotating black hole, dividing into two smaller black holes would reduce the total entropy, a process that is thermodynamically unfavorable. However, researchers found that this situation may change when a black hole rotates at an exceptionally high speed.
Calculations from the research team suggest that rapid rotation may create a narrow opening in the physical rules that normally prevent black holes from dividing. Francesco Sannino, a co-author of the study and a professor of physics at University of Naples Federico II and the Quantum Field Theory Center at University of Southern Denmark, noted that even if a split occurs, the two resulting objects must be able to separate.
"But the two resulting black holes must also be able to separate rather than immediately fall back together. When we include this requirement, the window largely closes again, except possibly for black holes rotating close to their maximum possible rate," says Sannino.
The study's title refers to the "pair-of-pants topologies" shape that a black hole's horizon would trace through space and time if a split occurred, resembling one upper section dividing into two "legs."
The researchers also investigated scenarios involving theories where space has additional dimensions. In some theoretical models, black-hole-like objects can become unstable and fragment. In certain cases, splitting could become thermodynamically favorable, particularly if one resulting black hole is much smaller than the other.
While no black hole splitting has been confirmed, researchers suggest there may be ways to detect such events indirectly. Sannino stated, "We expect small primordial black holes to be more prone to splitting than much larger astrophysical black holes. We may detect a split indirectly: gamma-ray telescopes such as Fermi-LAT can search for signals from tiny black-hole fragments that might form during mergers."
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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