我国科学家发现第三致密天体存在迹象

Core Insights - The research team from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory has made a groundbreaking discovery in gravitational wave astronomy, suggesting that binary black hole mergers may occur in the presence of a third compact object, providing new clues to the formation of binary black holes [1][2] Group 1: Discovery and Research Findings - The discovery was published in the international astronomical journal "Astrophysical Journal Letters" and indicates that binary black holes may not form in isolation but rather in a more complex gravitational system [1][5] - The research team has been analyzing gravitational wave data since 2018, focusing on the event GW190814, which features two black holes with a mass difference of nearly ten times [2][5] - The team observed a key effect called "line-of-sight acceleration" when binary black holes merge near a third compact object, which modulates the frequency of gravitational waves and leaves a unique "acceleration imprint" in the detection signals [2][3] Group 2: Methodology and Implications - To capture the subtle signals of gravitational waves, the team developed a new waveform template that incorporates the effects of line-of-sight acceleration, applying Bayesian inference methods to analyze multiple high signal-to-noise ratio binary black hole events [3] - The new model significantly outperformed traditional "isolated binary black hole" models in explaining the GW190814 event, marking the first clear evidence of a third compact object in a binary black hole merger [5] - The research suggests that with the deployment of next-generation ground and space gravitational wave detectors, more events similar to GW190814 may be discovered, enhancing the understanding of binary black hole formation and evolution mechanisms [5]