GW250114
A very loud cousin of GW150914!
Observed by: H, L
Source: Binary black hole
Date: January 14 2025
Time: 8:22:03 UTC
No. of cycles from 30 Hz to merger: ~8
No. of ringdown cycles: ~2
Peak GW strain: ~10^21
Total energy emitted: ~5.5*10^54 erg
Distance: 333 to 477 Mpc
Redshift: 0.08 to 0.1
Signal-to-noise ratio: ~77 to 80
False alarm rate: < 1 per 100 yr
Total mass: 65 to 67 solar masses
Primary mass: 33 to 50 solar masses
Secondary mass: 31 to 33 solar masses
Remnant mass: 62 to 64 solar masses
Primary spin: <0.24
Secondary spin: <0.26
Remnant spin: 0.67 to 0.69
Fundamental mode frequency: 241 to 253 Hz
Fundamenal mode damping time: 3.8 to 5.3 ms
First overtone frequency: 240 to 257 Hz
First overtone damping time: 1.2 to 1.7 ms
Deviation from Kerr: −20% to +40%
Components' area: 2.4*10^5 km^2
Remnant area: 4.1*10^6 km^2
Area increase: ~65%
Quadrupole mode matches Kerr: Within ~2%
Hexadecapole mode matches Kerr: Within ~62%
Best PN paramter bound: Within ~3%
Remnant mass: −6% to +7% of Kerr
When two black holes (BHs) collide and merge, they release gravitational waves. These waves can be detected by sensitive instruments on Earth, allowing scientists to determine the mass and spin of the BHs. The clearest BH merger signal yet, named GW250114, recorded by LIGO in January 2025, offers new insights into these mysterious cosmic giants.
Telling Overtones
A fleeting secondary tone was detected in the signal, offering a rare chance to test the “Kerr solution,” which describes a rotating BH using only mass and spin. Excitingly, the mass and spin values from this overtone matched those from the fundamental tone. If they had differed, it would imply that additional properties are necessary to describe a BH, but a match confirms that — at least for this BH — no other details are needed.
Forever Growing
The signal also tested Hawking’s area theorem, which states that a BH’s surface area can never decrease —it can only grow. Surface area of a BH is determined by the area of its event horizon and is proportional to the square of the BH’s mass. Comparing the BHs before and after the merger confirmed that the surface area had increased, supporting the theorem.
Catch up with everything you need to know about our latest #GravitationalWave discovery #GW250114 with our infographics
Credit: Sanika Khadkikar/Penn State & Lucy Reading-Ikkanda/Simons Foundation
#O4IsHere 🔭🧪⚛️☄️
