Discovery Reveals Origin of Black Hole Magnetic Fields

Researchers at the Flatiron Institute have identified the source of magnetic fields in black holes, linking them to the collapsing parent stars. This finding, reported on November 18 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, enhances understanding of black hole formation and their explosive gamma-ray bursts.

Black holes form when a star undergoes a supernova explosion, leaving behind a dense core known as a proto-neutron star. According to Ore Gottlieb, the study's lead author, the surrounding disk of the proto-neutron star effectively pins its magnetic lines to the emerging black hole.

Initial models aimed to simulate the star's transition to a black hole but faced challenges in understanding the behavior of magnetic fields during this collapse. Previous theories suggested that magnetic fields collapsed into the black hole, but this did not account for the necessary conditions to produce jets and gamma-ray bursts.

The research team discovered that neutron stars possess their own accretion disks, allowing them to retain magnetic fields during collapse. Their calculations indicated that as a neutron star collapses, its magnetic field lines are inherited by the newly formed black hole, enabling it to maintain its magnetism.

This breakthrough not only resolves a fundamental mystery in astrophysics but also suggests that early disk formation is crucial for jet production. Gottlieb emphasizes the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration and advanced simulations in achieving these results, which could reshape the understanding of jet formation across various stellar populations.

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