Study challenges Einstein’s relativity theory, finds instability in black holes
In 1963, Roy Kerr, a New Zealand-based mathematician proposed a set of equations that explain the properties of rotating black holes as per Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
These equations are collectively called the Kerr solution, and to this date, they represent one of the most accurate descriptions of rotating black holes.
However, a new study reveals that black holes are filled with instabilities, and what Kerr proposed is possibly not 100 percent accurate, especially about the internal structure of black holes.
“Our study implies that a black hole cannot stabilize in Kerr geometry, at least over long timescales,” the study authors note.
Kerry geometry refers to the mathematical description of the warped spacetime around a rotating but uncharged black hole.
The inner instability of a black hole
The Kerr solution considers a black hole as a structure with a power circular current that has two horizons. The first is the outer boundary known as the event horizon where the gravitational effect is so strong that it doesn’t let anything escape, not even light.
The second inner horizon, called the Cauchy horizon has a core called ring singularity, a region that becomes infinitely strong, and space and time break down. Its unique ring shape comes from the black hole’s spin, which stretches the singularity into a ring rather than collapsing it into a point.
“This model aligns well with observations, as deviations from Einstein’s theory outside the black hole are regulated by new physics parameters, which govern the core’s size and are expected to be quite small,” the study authors said.
Kerr’s geometry suggests that black holes can store a vast amount of energy. However, according to the new study, as the energy inside black holes increases, it can bring drastic changes in their structure, leading to instability over longer timescales and even in short timeframes.
“This instability is due to an accumulation of energy that grows exponentially over time until it reaches a finite, but extremely large, value, capable of significantly influencing the overall geometry of the black hole and thus altering it,” the study authors explain. This further indicates that black holes are not as stable as proposed by the theory of general relativity.
A need for new theoretical models
Scientists are still not sure what happens when the energy buildup inside a black hole reaches its peak, but if such an event happens it clearly means that the Kerr solution doesn’t fully explain the science that governs black holes.
“This result suggests that the Kerr solution, contrary to previous assumptions, cannot accurately describe observed black holes, at least on the typical timescales of their existence,” Stefano Liberati, one of the study authors and a professor at the International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA) in Italy, said.
They also believe that further studies focusing on the inner world and the above-mentioned instability of black holes could give rise to new theoretical models that might overcome the limitations of the Kerr solution.
“The internal dynamics of black holes, which remain largely uncharted, could radically transform our understanding of these objects, even from an external perspective,” Raúl Carballo-Rubio, first author of the study and a postdoc researcher at the University of Southern Denmark, said.
The study is published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
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