With this giant quantum vortex, scientists have replicated a "black hole" on Earth

Published by Redbran,
Source: Nature
Other Languages: FR, DE, ES, PT

Scientists have created a massive quantum vortex within a superfluid helium, opening a new window to explore the mysteries of black holes.

In a recent study published on March 20 in the journal Nature, a team of physicists describes a significant milestone in simulating the extreme conditions found around black holes. By using superfluid helium cooled to a temperature near absolute zero, they managed to create a frictionless vortex, thereby simulating the way black holes swirl space-time around them.


This vortex, composed of thousands of tiny vortices combined into a single large whirl, allowed the researchers to observe behaviors similar to those of black holes. Notably, they detected a phenomenon akin to the "ringdown" of black holes, a phenomenon by which a newly merged black hole vibrates on its axis.

The experiment, led by Patrik Svancara and his team at the University of Nottingham in the UK, uses superfluid helium to study the interactions within the vortex with unparalleled detail and precision. Superfluid helium, which has extremely low viscosity, offers a unique opportunity to explore these phenomena without the constraints present in previous experiments performed with water.

The work of Svancara and his colleagues is part of a long-standing quest to unify Einstein's theory of general relativity with quantum mechanics. Black holes, with their ability to distort space-time, serve as a study ground for physicists seeking to understand the laws of physics under extreme conditions.


Study of waves on the surface of superfluid helium, capturing height fluctuations at the micrometric scale.
The different parts of the image show:
a) an overview of the surface with specified areas for a central evacuation and an outer boundary;
b-e) illustrations of azimuthal modes, identified by the number of peaks or troughs along a circle, analyzed through a Fourier transform;
f, g) wave spectra showing wave frequencies at different radii, with a notable absence of low-frequency excitations, and comparisons between theoretical predictions and experimental observations marked by yellow and red lines.

This research could eventually allow for the prediction of quantum field behavior in curved spaces around astrophysical black holes, according to Silke Weinfurtner, co-author of the study and a professor of physics at the University of Nottingham.
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