Are There Really Hundreds of Black Holes in NGC 6101?

In summary, recent observations and computer simulations have revealed that the spherical collection of stars, NGC 6101, contains hundreds of black holes, challenging previous beliefs. These black holes could potentially emit gravitational waves, but mergers are still rare due to their low mass and the lack of binary systems. The reason for not seeing many stellar collisions in the sky is likely due to the distance and difficulty in detecting them. There is also a lack of consideration for dark matter in NGC 6101, which could affect the distribution of black holes in the cluster.
  • #1
wolram
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I find this article hard to believe can there be so many Black Holes in one galaxy, if there are, why are there not many mergers recorded by Ligo.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160907215155.htm

Computer simulations of a spherical collection of stars known as 'NGC 6101' reveal that it contains hundreds of black holes, until now thought impossible. Recent observations already found black hole candidates in similar systems, with this research enabling astrophysicists to map black holes in other clusters. These systems could be the cradle of gravitational wave emission, 'ripples' in the fabric of space-time
 
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  • #2
Hundreds of black holes can still mean one merger per 100 billion years or something like that - unless they form in a binary system, mergers are extremely rare. Those black holes have a few times the mass of sun each, so LIGO won't have such a large detection range for them.
 
  • #3
Why don't we see the sky alight with stellar collisions? After all, the styar density is much larger than the black hole density?
 
  • #4
Well, which fraction of stellar collisions 100 million light years away do we detect?
 
  • #5
I'm curious about the apparent lack of consideration for DM in NGC6101. I suspect a massive DM component could also suppress mass segregation. The arxiv version of the subject paper is: http://arxiv.org/abs/1609.01720, A stellar-mass black hole population in the globular cluster NGC 6101?.
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FAQ: Are There Really Hundreds of Black Holes in NGC 6101?

What is the definition of "over-population" of black holes?

The term "over-population" in relation to black holes refers to an excessive number of black holes in a particular region of space, beyond what would be considered normal or expected.

How does over-population of black holes occur?

Over-population of black holes can occur through several processes, such as the merging of smaller black holes, the collapse of massive stars, and the growth of supermassive black holes at the center of galaxies.

What are the potential consequences of over-population of black holes?

The presence of an excessive number of black holes in a small region of space can lead to disruptions in the orbits of nearby stars and planets, as well as the distortion of spacetime. It can also hinder the formation of new stars and galaxies.

Can over-population of black holes be reversed or controlled?

At this time, there is no known way to reverse or control the over-population of black holes. However, as our understanding of black holes and their behaviors continues to advance, it may be possible to develop techniques to mitigate the effects of over-population in the future.

Is the concept of over-population of black holes a concern for the future of our universe?

While it is currently not a pressing concern, the over-population of black holes could potentially become a problem in the distant future as more and more black holes are formed and merge together. However, the exact implications and timeline of this scenario are still uncertain and require further study.

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