In an unexpected turn of events, Grunge music, particularly Soundgarden's iconic 1994 hit "Black Hole Sun," has become a source of inspiration for Earl Bellinger of the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics. Bellinger's curiosity was sparked as he pondered the possibility of minuscule black holes, dating back to the universe's infancy, hiding within the cores of massive stars.
A recent study led by Bellinger and his colleagues sheds light on this intriguing concept. The researchers propose that astronomers could detect these concealed black holes through the vibrations they induce on a star's surface. If prevalent, these tiny black holes might serve as the elusive dark matter, constituting a significant portion of the universe.
While speculative, the findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, present a new avenue for stellar evolution, according to Juan García-Bellido, a theoretical physicist at the Autonomous University of Madrid.
The conventional belief is that black holes emerge from the demise of colossal stars, their cores collapsing to an incredibly dense state. However, Stephen Hawking suggested an alternative origin in 1971, theorizing that certain regions in the aftermath of the big bang could have given rise to black holes of varying sizes.
Primordial black holes, if numerous, could potentially contribute to the mysterious dark matter, comprising 85% of the universe's matter. Previous searches for these entities have focused on detecting flashes as they pass in front of bright objects. Still, Bellinger and his team explore the idea that these tiny black holes, with a mass akin to an asteroid and a minute diameter, could be concealed within stars.
Simulations indicate that these black holes would gradually sink to a star's core, growing in size over millions of years. Larger ones, comparable to Ceres or Pluto, could emit radiation as they consume surrounding material, transforming into what the researchers term "Hawking stars."
To investigate this further, astronomers might examine anomalously cool giant stars known as red stragglers. The European Space Agency's Gaia satellite has identified around 500 of these stars, potentially concealing black holes. Bellinger suggests analyzing their vibrations to unveil the presence of a hidden black hole.
While the study raises compelling possibilities, some astrophysicists, including Shravan Hanasoge of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, emphasize the importance of addressing uncertainties regarding the frequency of primordial black holes becoming trapped within stars. Bellinger acknowledges this and expresses his team's intention to delve deeper into this aspect.
In an amusing twist, Bellinger contemplates the prospect of earning a Nobel Prize for discovering dark matter inspired by the seemingly unrelated realms of Grunge music and Soundgarden's "Black Hole Sun."
More: https://www.science.org/content/article/are-tiny-black-holes-hiding-within-giant-stars
