Black Hole Merger GW231123
21.07.2025
Black Hole Merger GW231123
Context:
Scientists have detected GW231123, the most massive black hole merger ever recorded, through the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) collaboration. It involved black holes 100x and 140x the Sun’s mass—challenging current theories of stellar evolution and black hole formation.
About Black Hole Merger GW231123:
What Is a Black Hole Merger?
It is a high-energy astrophysical event where two black holes spiral inward due to gravitational wave emission and eventually merge, forming a single, more massive black hole. These events distort spacetime and are detectable via gravitational wave observatories.
Key Event Details:
- Event Name: GW231123 (detected on Nov 23, 2023, during LIGO’s 4th observation run)
- Masses Involved: Black holes of ~140 and ~100 solar masses merged into a ~225 solar mass black hole
- Mass Gap Violation: The black holes fall in the “forbidden” 60–130 solar mass range—contradicting current models of stellar death
- Spin Feature: One black hole had a spin close to the relativistic maximum—rare and difficult to model
- Origin Distance: Estimated to be ~12 billion light-years away
- Detection Network: Observed by LIGO (USA), Virgo (Italy), and KAGRA (Japan)
Way Forward:
- Astrophysical Revisions: Reassess theories of stellar collapse and black hole mass limits
- Expanded Observation: More frequent, multi-detector observation runs to validate and model extreme cosmic events
- International Collaboration: Strengthen global efforts in gravitational wave astronomy (e.g., Einstein Telescope, Cosmic Explorer)
- Data Modelling Tools: Develop advanced AI models to decode high-spin, high-mass waveforms from distant space events
Conclusion:
GW231123 is a landmark in astrophysics—it not only shatters the established “mass gap” concept but also hints at exotic or second-generation black holes. It reinforces the importance of gravitational wave science in revealing unseen corners of the universe and expanding our understanding of cosmic evolution.