Scientists discover missing link black holes in space

In the cosmic cemetery between ordinary black holes and super giants, astronomers have discovered something extraordinary.

A team of researchers analyzing gravitational wave data has identified 11 mysterious “lite versions” of intermediate-mass black holes – color objects that should not exist according to traditional stellar evolutionary models, but somehow.

These elusive black holes, ranging from 100 to 350 times the mass of our sun, represent the fragments missing in our understanding of how the most extreme objects of the universe form and evolve. Unlike their smaller cousins ​​of stellar or the super-large behemoth lurking in the center of the Milky Way, black holes with intermediate mass have been out of reach for decades.

Heavyweight champion of Heavyweight Tide

This finding comes from a comprehensive reanalysis of data from the Nobel Prize-winning detector and the European Virgo Observatory. The team used advanced artificial intelligence technology to examine gravitational wave signals that collided from black holes during the third observation from 2019 to 2020.

“Black holes are the ultimate cosmic fossils,” said Karan Jani, an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University. “The black hole masses reported in this new analysis are still highly speculative in astronomy. This new black hole population opens the first stars to illuminate our universe for an unprecedented window.”

The heaviest discovery, designated GW191223, stimulates the scales with 347 solar masses, one of the largest mergers of black holes found through gravitational waves. In the other extreme case, GW190403 represents the most distant black hole collision observed, and 11.4 billion light-years occurred when the universe was only a small part of its current age.

Defy stellar death prediction

What makes these findings particularly attractive is that many of these black holes fall into the so-called paired supernova mass gap. According to stellar evolution, 60 to 120 solar-powered stars should completely destroy themselves in explosive supernova without leaving anything behind. However, there are five analyses that show that the black hole is firm in this restricted area.

The team found that five of these 11 signals had a more than 95% chance of producing residual black holes in the intermediate mass range. This challenges our understanding of how superstars die and what they leave behind.

Several of these black holes also show evidence of abnormal rotational characteristics. Three events (GW191109, GW191225 and GW200114) demonstrate negatively valid spin parameters, which suggests that their component black holes are opposite to their orbital motion. This oppositional alignment could suggest that these systems were formed through dynamic encounters in dense stellar environments rather than isolated stars evolution.

Technology accurately reveals the mysteries of the universe

The analysis uses three state-of-the-art gravitational models to ensure accuracy: phenomenological IMRPHENOMXPHM, an effective integrated SeoBNRV4PHM and a numerical relativity substitution of NRSUR7DQ4. However, when analyzing several events, the team found that there were large differences between these models.

Using the Jensen-Shannon Divergence statistical test, the researchers found that most events exceeded the standard threshold for model consistency. This suggests that the current gravity wave model may be an extreme parameter barrier to merge with intermediate mass black holes, a finding that is of great significance for future detection.

The closest heavyweight discovery, GW191225, only 760 million light-years occurred, with a total mass of 292 solar energy. Meanwhile, when the universe accounts for about 15% of its current age, the most distant events provide a window for black hole formation.

The formation pathway and the mystery of the future

How about this huge form of black hole? The study shows several possibilities besides traditional star collapse. These intermediate mass objects may be caused by layered mergers, which are black holes that repeatedly collide and fuse in dense clusters of stars. Additionally, they may be formed by excellent collisions in the chaotic environment of nuclear star clusters or active galactic nuclei.

Spin properties provide additional clues about the formation mechanism. Events showing significant precession or resistance to rotation suggest that gravitational interactions can greatly alter orbital characteristics in dense environments.

The main findings of the analysis:

• Five events show > 95% chance of producing intermediate mass black hole residue > 95%
• Component mass ranges from 25 to 200 solar mass
• Several events have components in theoretical stable quality gap
• Three systems show evidence of anti-alignment rotation, suggesting dynamic formation
• There is obvious system uncertainty among different gravitational wave models

A probe beyond the earth

Current ground-based detectors such as Ligo capture only the last moments of these cosmic collisions, which is usually just one second of the merger process. To understand their complete evolution, astronomers are turning to space-based observation stations.

The upcoming Lisa mission to be released in the late 2030s will monitor these systems before the merger. This extended observation window can reveal the formation, development, and ultimately collision of intermediary mass black holes.

“We hope this study will strengthen the case of intermediate-mass black holes and become the most exciting source of gravitational wave detector networks from Earth to space,” said Krystal Ruiz-Rocha, the study’s lead author. “Each new discovery gives us a better understanding of the origins of these black holes and why they are trapped in this mysterious mass range.”

The mission continues

With the maturity of gravitational wave astronomy, these intermediate mass discoveries represent not only exotic phenomena. They provide direct evidence of the process that happened in the universe when it was young, and the stars are fundamentally different from what we see today.

As observers detect more vulnerable, more distant events, the team’s AI technology that will separate from detector noise will become increasingly important. Future moon-based probes can even access lower gravitational waves, potentially revolutionizing our understanding of the black hole environment.

From this study is a more dynamic and violent universe than previously thought, a universe where black holes collide and merge, creating more and more objects that can bridge the gap between star residue and super-large giants. These missing links of the universe finally reveal their secrets, gravitational waves at a time.