Do Merging Dwarf Galaxies Explain a Peculiar Gravitational-Wave Detection?
May 5, 2021•
Physics 14, s52
The hard-to-explain masses of two coalescing black holes could be accounted for if they were the central black holes in two distant, tiny galaxies that merged.
A. Palmese/Fermilab
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On May 21, 2019, the LIGO and Virgo collaborations recorded an unexpected gravitational-wave detection. The signal, designated GW190521, emanated from the coalescence of two black holes whose masses fall into a range that’s forbidden by conventional stellar evolution theories (see Viewpoint: A Heavyweight Merger). Now, Antonella Palmese, at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) and the University of Chicago, and Christopher Conselice, at the University of Manchester, UK, propose that the observation can be explained by the merger of the black holes at the centers of two low-mass dwarf galaxies [1]. Such “forbidden mass” black holes could form in dwarf galaxies fro
Highlights of the Year
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There is no denying that the raging pandemic shaped the world of physics in 2020, shifting research priorities, hindering in-person meetings, disrupting supply chains, and leaving a psychological toll on students, teachers, and researchers. Many physicists from around the world shared with us their experiences coping with the pandemic. Yet physics research in all fields marched on and kept delivering surprises and breakthroughs. The selection of our favorite stories of the year clearly reflects the resilience and ingenuity of the physics community.
Wishing everyone a safe and bright 2021.
–The Editors
Physicists Tackle COVID-19
The pandemic has been a challenge to the whole planet. To do their part, physicists from diverse fields lent their expertise to efforts like simulating disease spread and designing medical equipment (see Research News: Forecasting COVID-19’s Trajectory, Physicists Design Emergency Ventilators, and A Bead-Based Test for COVID