Rare intermediate-mass black holes may have formed in dense star clusters, scientists have discovered. These bodies, called „globular clusters,” are filled with tens to millions of tightly packed stars.
Compared to the Sun, an interstellar black hole has a mass of 100 to 10,000 times that of the Sun. They are massive, even compared to solar-mass black holes. These (the latter) have masses between 10 and 100 solar masses, making them lighter compared to supermassive black holes.
Again, supergiant black holes typically have the mass of millions or billions of Suns combined! Astronomers share that in 2012 these cosmic beings are extremely rare.
So how do intermediate mass black holes form? Who has 1,300 times the mass of Sun? Let’s find out!
Formation of intermediate mass black holes
In truth, how intermediate-mass black holes actually form has always been a mystery. Scientists say these massive black holes form during the collapse of massive stars. Along with that, the growth of black holes also happens when supermassive black holes merge.
Astronomers also suggest that encountering massive stars capable of forming a black hole is extremely difficult and rare. The experiment consisted of a really dense molecular cloud of globular clusters that could form massive stars and emit an intermediate-mass black hole.
„Previous observations have suggested that some massive star clusters, globular clusters, host an intermediate-mass black hole,” said team leader and University of Tokyo scientist Michiko Fujii. said in a statement. „Until now, there is no strong theoretical evidence to show the existence of an intermediate-mass black hole with 1,000 to 10,000 solar masses, comparing the less massive (stellar mass) and the more massive (supermassive) ones.”
But what about the origin of black holes? Is it warm and cozy or messy?
Probing the origin of black holes
Researchers say that star formation is often not very comfortable and convenient. These stars are often densely packed and live in extreme chaos and turbulence. Differences in density can cause stars to merge and collide. This process is very exciting and can increase their attraction to each other, gradually leading to more and more connections.
„We have, for the first time, successfully performed numerical simulations of globular cluster formation, modeling individual stars,” Fujii said. „By resolving individual stars that each have a realistic mass, we can reconstruct collisions of stars in tightly packed environments. For these simulations, we developed a new simulation code that can integrate millions of stars with high precision,” he added in the statement.
Speaking about upcoming projects, Fujii shared that his and his team’s ultimate goal is to simulate entire galaxies by resolving entire stars. „It is still difficult to simulate galaxies the size of the Milky Way by resolving individual stars using currently available supercomputers. However, it is possible to simulate smaller galaxies such as dwarf galaxies,” he concluded.
About the editor
Khairika Mitra Khairika is a tech nerd, an introvert and an avid reader. Lock her in a room full of books and you’ll never hear her complain.
„Oddany rozwiązywacz problemów. Przyjazny hipsterom praktykant bekonu. Miłośnik kawy. Nieuleczalny introwertyk. Student.