Study Finds Evidence of Rare Stellar Explosion That Leaves No Black Hole
SYDNEY — An Australian-led study has uncovered evidence of a rare type of stellar explosion that may explain why certain black holes appear to be missing from the universe.
The research, published in Nature, used gravitational wave observations to examine how the most massive stars end their lives, supporting the long-standing theory of a “forbidden gap” in black hole masses.
Typically, massive stars collapse into black holes at the end of their life cycles. But scientists believe that extremely massive stars can instead explode in what is known as a pair-instability supernova, a powerful event that completely destroys the star and leaves no black hole behind.
The study identified a gap in black hole masses above roughly 45 times the mass of the Sun, where black holes formed directly from stars are rarely found. Researchers say this aligns with theoretical models predicting that stars in this range are obliterated by pair-instability explosions.
Project lead Tong Hui, a Ph.D. candidate at Monash University, said the findings highlight a missing range where black holes do not form through normal stellar collapse.
“The only black holes in this mass range are made from merging smaller black holes, rather than directly from stars,” Hui said.
Scientists say confirming the existence of this mass gap could help resolve key questions about how the universe’s most massive stars evolve and die, as well as the origins of black holes.
The findings add to growing evidence from gravitational wave astronomy, offering new insights into some of the most extreme phenomena in the cosmos. (Source: IANS)
