Parasite Black Holes Could Be Eating Away at Stars From The Inside
A new study suggests that small black holes formed at the beginning of the universe could be found inside stars, slowly consuming them from within.
Unusual Black Hole Candidates in Stars
Astrophysicists from the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics and Yale University have proposed that small black holes formed at the early stages of the universe could have been incorporated into Sun-like stars and have been consuming them from the inside out. Although highly speculative, the study explores the potential effects of this parasitic relationship on stars and how we could identify them in the universe.
The researchers suggest that stars hosting black holes may exhibit unique internal structures that could be detected through asteroseismology, the study of stellar pulsations. This could provide a means to identify stars with hidden black holes, if they exist.
The Hunt for Tiny Black Holes
While black holes of various sizes have been observed in the universe, researchers have yet to discover black holes with masses similar to planets, moons, or asteroids. These objects lack sufficient mass to collapse into a dense black hole of their own.
However, theoretical models propose that minuscule black holes, known as primordial black holes, could have formed shortly after the Big Bang. These black holes, if they exist, could explain the presence of dark matter in the universe. Some scientists suggest that they may have ended up inside neutron stars, consuming them from the inside. The recent study investigates the possibility of primordial black holes residing within main-sequence stars like the Sun, undergoing fusion.
The Birth of Hawking Stars
The study conducted calculations and numerical simulations to explore the behavior of Sun-like stars hosting primordial black holes. The research found that the smallest black holes would take billions of years to consume the star, while a black hole with the mass of a dwarf planet would be more voracious.
In this scenario, the black hole would begin consuming the core of the star, generating an accretion disk that produces light and heat. Over time, the star would be powered by the accretion disk rather than fusion. It would resemble a normal star but with cooler temperatures. The researchers named this hypothetical star a "Hawking star" and propose that studying anomalously cool red giant stars might reveal signatures of black hole accretion.
Future Implications and Investigations
The researchers highlight the opportunity to discover these objects or constrain their occurrence by studying stars exhibiting acoustic patterns indicative of black hole accretion. Further investigations are planned to understand the behavior of stars at different evolutionary stages and explore stellar populations in relation to black hole presence.
The study was published in The Astrophysical Journal.
