Discovery supports Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which predicted this phenomenon over a century ago.
Evidence includes detection of X-rays emitted by matter in plunging region and observations of additional light coming from area.
Scientists have observed and confirmed the existence of a 'plunging region' around black holes, where matter falls directly towards the center at near light speed.
Studying plunging regions could provide insights into how black holes form and evolve, as well as reveal new information about space-time.
For the first time, scientists have observed and confirmed the existence of a 'plunging region' around black holes, where matter stops orbiting and instead falls directly towards the center at near light speed. This discovery supports Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which predicted this phenomenon over a century ago.
The plunging region was observed around a binary system called MAXI J1820+070, located about 10,000 light years from Earth. The evidence includes the detection of X-rays emitted by matter in the plunging region and observations of additional light coming from this area.
Studying plunging regions could provide valuable insights into how black holes form and evolve, as well as reveal new information about space-time. This discovery marks an important milestone in our understanding of these mysterious cosmic phenomena.
Sources:
New Scientist: Einstein was right about the way matter plunges into black holes
Daily Mail: Scientists prove Einstein's theory of gravity by observing black hole 'plunge'
Independent IE: Scientists prove Einstein's theory of gravity by observing black hole 'plunge'
Live Science: Scientists discover bizarre region around black holes that proves Einstein right yet again
Oxford University: First proof that 'plunging regions' exist around black holes in space
An international team led by researchers at Oxford University Physics have provided the first observational proof that a 'plunging-region' exists around black holes: an area where matter stops circling and instead falls straight in.
The plunging region exerts some of the strongest gravitational forces yet identified in the galaxy.
Using X-ray data from NASA’s NuSTAR and Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer telescopes, researchers assessed this region in depth for the first time.
The study found that plasma, peeled from the outer edge of a star, undergoes its final fall into the centre of a black hole.
Einstein’s theory states that particles cannot safely follow circular orbits close to a black hole and instead ‘plunge’ towards it at close to the speed of light.
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The article contains an appeal to authority with the statement 'Einstein was correct about a key prediction concerning black holes.' and an inflammatory rhetorical question 'Think of it like a river turning into a waterfall -- hitherto, we have been looking at the river. This is our first sight of the waterfall.'
“plunging regions” exist around black holes: an area where matter stops circling the hole and instead falls straight in.
Einstein's theory predicted that this final plunge would exist, but this is the first time we have been able to demonstrate it happening.
Think of it like a river turning into a waterfall -- hitherto, we have been looking at the river. This is our first sight of the waterfall.
Astronomers have observed matter plunging into a black hole at the speed of light.
'The team led by researchers at the Department of Physics at Oxford made this discovery using NASA's NuSTAR and NICER space telescopes.'
This observation confirms the existence of the 'plunging region' around a black hole.
Black holes are surrounded by accretion disks, vast plumes of material that is stripped from gas clouds and stars and heated to red-hot temperatures as it spirals into the black hole's mouth.
The researchers detected X-rays emitted by the scorching material of its accretion disk and placed their X-ray data into mathematical models, discovering that the models only matched if they included light coming from matter in the plunging region.
