The Ministry of Science & Technology announced on 23 October 2026 that researchers from the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) have identified a mechanism explaining why matter around rapidly spinning black holes emits oscillating X-rays. Using computer simulations, the study found that a black hole's spin influences the movement of accretion shocks, where rapid spin pulls shocks closer to the black hole to produce a wider range of frequencies. For black holes about ten times the mass of the Sun, these frequencies can exceed 100 Hz. The release does not say when these findings take effect as it is a scientific report published in the Journal of High Energy Astrophysics.
Key points
- Rapidly spinning black holes produce a wider range of X-ray oscillation frequencies than slowly spinning ones.
- Predicted frequencies can exceed 100 Hz for black holes with mass approximately ten times that of the Sun.
- The study identifies a relationship between QPO frequency and the gradient of photon flux.
- Research was led by ARIES with collaboration from Poland and MJP Rohilkhand University.
When it applies
The document does not state when it takes effect.
Who it affects
- scientific community