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New research suggests that extreme objects known as “kugelblitze” — black holes made only of light — are impossible in our universe, posing a challenge Einstein’s theory of general relativityThis discovery imposes major constraints on cosmological models and shows how Quantum mechanics General relativity and general physical theory can be reconciled to address complex scientific questions.
black holes — Massive objects with such strong gravity that even light cannot escape their grip — are among the most interesting and bizarre objects in the universe. They are typically formed by the collapse of massive stars at the end of their life cycles, when the pressure generated by thermonuclear reactions in their cores can no longer withstand the force of gravity. gravity.
However, there are more exotic hypotheses for the formation of black holes. One such theory involves the creation of “kugelblitz,” a German word meaning “ball lightning.” (The plural is “kugelblitz.”)
“A kogelblitz is a hypothetical black hole that, instead of being formed by the collapse of ‘ordinary matter’ (whose main components are protons, neutrons and electrons), is formed by the concentration of enormous amounts of electromagnetic radiation, such as light,” according to a co-author of the study. Jose Polo Gomez“The physicist at the University of Waterloo and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Canada told Live Science in an email:
“Although light has no mass, it carries energy,” said Polo-Gomez, adding that according to Einstein’s theory of general relativity, energy is responsible for creating curvatures in spacetime that lead to gravitational attraction. “That’s why it’s possible in principle for light to form black holes — if we concentrate enough of it into a small enough volume.”
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These principles remain valid under classical general relativity, which does not take into account quantum phenomena. To explore the possible influence of quantum effects on the Kugelblitz formation, Polo-Gomez and colleagues examined the Schwinger effect.
“When there is incredibly intense electromagnetic energy — for example, due to huge concentrations of light — some of that energy is converted into matter in the form of electron-positron pairs,” says the study’s lead author. Alvaro Alvarez Dominguez “This is a quantum effect called the Schwinger effect. It’s also known as vacuum polarization,” a researcher at the Institute for Particle Physics and the Universe (IPARCOS) at Complutense University of Madrid told Live Science via email.
Including Stadywhich has been accepted for publication in the journal. Physical Review Letters But this study has not yet been published, and the team calculated the rate at which electron-positron pairs produced in an electromagnetic field deplete energy. If this rate exceeds the rate at which the electromagnetic field energy is replenished in a given region, then a kogelblitz will not form.
The team found that even under the most extreme conditions, pure light cannot reach the energy threshold required to form a black hole.
“What we have shown is that cognate pulsars cannot be formed by focusing light, either artificially in the laboratory or in naturally occurring astrophysical scenarios,” said one of the study’s authors. Louis J. Garay“For example, even if we use the most intensive methods, Laser On Earth, we would be 50 orders of magnitude away from the density required to create a cobblestone.
This discovery has profound theoretical implications, as it severely constrains previously studied astrophysical and cosmological models that assume the existence of Kugelblitzi. It also dashes any hopes of studying black holes experimentally in laboratory settings by creating them with electromagnetic radiation.
However, the positive outcome of the study shows that quantum effects can be efficiently integrated into problems related to gravity, and thus provide clear answers to actual scientific questions.
“From a theoretical point of view, this work shows how quantum effects can play an important role in understanding the mechanisms of formation and emergence of astrophysical objects,” said Polo Gomes.
Based on their results, the researchers plan to continue exploring the impact of quantum effects on various gravitational phenomena, which have both practical and fundamental importance.
“Several of us said they were very interested in continuing to study the gravitational properties of quantum matter, especially in scenarios where this quantum matter violates classical energy conditions.” Eduardo Martin Martinez“In principle, this type of quantum matter could give rise to strange space-times, leading to effects such as repulsive gravity or producing exotic solutions.” Like an Alcubierre warp drive “Or traversable wormholes.”
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