According to a new study, astronomers in 2015 could be able to detect hundreds of black holes.
Scientists from the Cardiff University plan to power on two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, or LIGO, in order to collect gravitational waves created by the collision of black holes millions of years in the past.
The detectors from LIGO might be able to help us learn more about the black holes. LIGO’s detectors are going to reveal to us where the remains of black holes are after the holes collide. Orbits of the black holes wobble, and those wobbles created by the spinning motion of the black holes create gravitational waves. The detectors from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory will pick up on such gravitational waves from black holes.
Dr. Mark Hannam from Cardiff’s University School of Physics and Astronomy said:
“These wobbles can make the black holes trace out wild paths around each other, leading to extremely complicated gravitational-wave signals. Our model aims to predict this [behavior] and help scientists find the signals in the detector data”
The model from Cardiff will work as a “spotter’s guide” for helping researchers using the LIGO detectors in understanding better how black holes orbit one another and collide into each other.
“Sometimes the orbits of these spinning black holes look completely tangled up, like a ball of string. But if you imagine whirling around with the black holes, then it all looks much clearer, and we can write down equations to describe what is happening. It’s like watching a kid on a high-speed spinning amusement park ride, apparently waving their hands around. From the sidelines, it’s impossible to tell what they’re doing. But if you sit next to them, they might be sitting perfectly still, just giving you the thumbs up,”
Dr. Mark Hannam said.
This developed model has been put in the computer codes. The LIGO researchers are getting ready to use it but it still requires some extra work. Up until now, only the effects taking place when the black holes orbit next to each other have been factored in but the team is searching to find out what happens when the black holes collide. In order to do this, the scientists need to perform simulations in order of solving Einstein’s equations for after and before the collision of black holes.
