A new method has been developed by researchers at Kyoto University to calculate the vibrations of black holes. These “ringing sounds” are produced when a black hole is disturbed, creating ripples in space-time that produce detectable gravitational waves. However, precisely calculating these vibrations through theoretical methods has proven challenging.
To overcome this challenge, the team applied a mathematical technique called the exact Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin analysis to carefully trace the behavior of waves from a black hole out into distant space. This method, long studied in mathematics but never applied to physics, allowed the researchers to follow wave patterns in great detail.
Their approach involved examining space near the black hole by extending it into the complex number domain, revealing a rich structure of the black hole’s geometry. The research team discovered mathematical phenomena called Stokes curves, which designate where the nature of a wave suddenly changes.
The findings revealed that the team had succeeded in developing a method that systematically and precisely captures the frequency structure of rapidly weakening vibrations. This demonstrates the power of the exact WKB method as a practical tool for bridging theoretical predictions with observational data.
This study makes it possible to analyze the “ringing sounds” of black holes across a wide range of theoretical models, which may lead to improved precision in future gravitational wave observations and a deeper understanding of our universe’s geometry. The research team plans to extend their approach to rotating black holes and explore its application in studies related to quantum gravity effects.
Source: https://www.nanowerk.com/news2/space/newsid=67305.php