Some Black Holes May Be Portals Through Spacetime In Disguise
Theoretical physicists have long debated the possible existence of wormholes, which are mathematically possible, but no evidence points to their physical existence.
One theory suggests that these hypothetical tunnels in spacetime could be masquerading as black holes, as both objects share similar characteristics as a result of existing right on the edge of where known physics breaks down.
A new study adds more evidence to this conjecture by analyzing quasi-normal modes—distinctive vibrations in space-time caused by temporary perturbations—and finds that wormholes could mimic black holes in this particular context.
Although traversable wormholes are a popular trope in sci-fi, the space-time structures that connect two different points of the universe are—at least, as of now—completely hypothetical. One of the first types of wormholes ever theorized, the Einstein-Rosen bridge, is simply a specific solution to Einstein's field equations, which map space-time geometry within certain matter and energy conditions.
Sadly, these sci-fi dreams rest on the fantastical concept of 'negative energy,' a cosmic phenomenon that simply doesn't exist in the classical universe (though the answer isn't so clear cut in the quantum realm). Due to the space-time strangeness required to form a stable wormhole, some scientists have considered whether certain black holes might actually be wormholes in disguise. Although physical reality makes this a near-impossibility, mathematics shows that it's at least conceivable.
Now, a new study has analyzed a certain attribute of Schwarzschild black holes—which are named for German physicist Karl Schwarzschild and are themselves hypothetical objects, as they're black holes that contain no rotation or electric field—known as quasi-normal modes (QNMs). These modes are considered quasi-normal because they describe distinctive vibrations of space-time when a compact object is perturbed (i.e. they don't continue indefinitely).
Using different approaches—including a parameterization to define the properties of the area near the 'throat' of a wormhole while analyzing three different perturbation types (scalar, axial gravitational, and electromagnetic)—the researchers concluded that a wormhole could consistently replicate the QNMs associated with static (a.k.a. Schwarzschild) black holes. The results of the study were uploaded to the preprint server arXiv, and the authors note that the study will soon be published in the journal Physical Review D.
'Exotic compact objects—either beyond General Relativity (GR) predictions or arising from unconventional GR assumptions—could theoretically exist, though they remain undetected,' the authors wrote. 'This elusiveness may be due to their ability to closely mimic the observational properties of black holes.'
The idea of wormholes masquerading as black holes of all shapes and sizes isn't a new one—in fact, it's a theory that's been debated for decades. More recently, a 2021 study pondered whether active galactic nuclei, or AGN, are actually wormhole mouths rather than supermassive black holes. A year later, a team from Sofia University in Bulgaria concluded that light emitted from a disk surrounding a traversable wormhole would likely be 'nearly identical' to that of a static black hole. Long-standing theories have also wondered if black holes could be paired with mirror twins, known as 'white holes,' which would together form wormholes. Of course, white holes have never been observed or detected either, but once again, the math allows for their existence.
This new study adds to that growing discussion by analyzing the QNM aspect of static black holes and finding that the two are also similar.
'We can say that a wormhole can effectively emulate the Schwarzschild black hole in general relativity in its fundamental mode and first overtone across the three distinct perturbation types considered individually,' the authors wrote.
The authors also expect to build on this approach by improving near-throat parameters and analyzing the polar gravitational perturbations theoretically exhibited by both wormholes and black holes (though the problem presents a few computational difficulties that will need solving).
For now, wormholes remain firmly in the realm of science fiction. But with mathematics continuing to prove that such objects are possible, scientists will continue to search for these bridges across the universe.
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