Why do black hole flares die out? It may be down to how stars spin
Some stars encounter supermassive black holes and live to tell the tale. New research shows why the flares these encounters cause dim over repeated episodes.
Stars occasionally find themselves near supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, undergoing extreme tidal forces that can strip them down to their cores and eject stellar material as near-light-speed jets. These encounters, known as tidal disruption events (TDEs), often cause flares of light from the black hole, but subsequent flares can become dimmer over time, a phenomenon scientists have struggled to explain.
In a new study, researchers at Syracuse University believe they have found the answer: the way these stars spin. The team found that rpTDEs, where the star is partially consumed by the black hole but not fully destroyed, show this dimming. By considering the star's spin and a potential passing binary partner, the researchers have proposed an answer to the dimming of black hole flares.
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