Intermediate-Mass Black Hole

Context

Scientists from the Chennai Mathematical Institute and Ors. analyzed data from LIGO-VIRGO viewing centers and rated the fraction of Black Hole binary integration found so far demonstrating the potential for Intermediate-Mass Black Holes.

About Black Hole Merger

• It is the practice of merging two or more black holes.
• Indian scientists have already identified the combination of three large black holes.
• The combination of two or more black holes results in different types of black holes. For eg, Intermediate-Mass Black Holes and Binary Black Holes.
• The Intermediate-Mass black hole (IMBH) is a section of black hole weighing in the range 102-105 of the solar masses: much larger than the black holes but under the higher black holes.
• One of the theories of intermediate mass black hole formation has to do with ‘hierarchical growth’.
• That is, if the black holes exist among a dense cluster of stars, the remnant (black hole) of a merger can pair up with another black hole close by to form a binary. This can eventually merge to form a second remnant which is more massive. This process, happening in a hierarchical manner, can explain intermediate mass black hole formation.
• Gravitational Waves (GW) are created when two black holes rotate and merge.

Kick at the merger

• "Kick" is the opposite pressure received by a black hole left during a merger.
• It is a response to Gravitational Waves that removes equal energy and momentum during the merger.
• These kicks can be quite large, giving it speeds of up to 1000 kilometres per second.
• If this kick velocity is above the escape velocity of the star cluster in which the black hole is formed, it escapes from the environment and moves out. This hinders further hierarchical mergers.
• The extent of kicks received by the remnant can be calculated from the masses of black joint holes and their rotation. The kick estimates help understand which mergers have the possibility of forming Intermediate-Mass black holes.