A groundbreaking study suggests that gas giants in our universe may quietly transform into tiny black holes. Led by graduate researcher Mehrdad Phoroutan-Mehr at the University of California, Riverside, the team modeled how heavy dark matter particles accumulate in Jupiter-like worlds. According to their findings, a critical mass buildup could trigger a collapse, forming a miniature black hole.
The researchers focused on superheavy, non-annihilating dark matter particles that capture and settle into the planet’s core. As the central clump reaches a critical point, gravity takes over, causing the collapse of a black hole. This process is observable timescales in some planets and can occur multiple times throughout their lifetime.
If a Jupiter-mass world were to undergo this transformation, it would lose its bulk but retain its mass. A confirmed planet-mass black hole discovery could be a major breakthrough, offering insights into non-annihilating dark matter candidates.
However, the possibility of such transformations is still speculative due to limitations in physics and observational methods. A combination of transit monitoring, microlensing, and astrometric signals can help identify potential black holes. The upcoming Galactic Bulge Time-Domain survey with NASA’s Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will capture tens of thousands of micro-lensing events.
This study emphasizes the importance of a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding dark matter. While it is essential to acknowledge the limitations, researchers like Phoroutan-Mehr are pushing the boundaries of our knowledge and encouraging new cross-checks as the exoplanet census grows.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/dark-matter-may-turn-planets-into-black-holes