2009/02/26 by J. M. Mïller, J. M. Miller, P. Uttley +41 · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #FOS: Physical sciences #Gamma-ray bursts and supernovae #High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR) #astro-ph.HE #astro-ph.SR
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0902.4677
Astro 2010 Science White Paper
arxiv created 2009/02/26 · openalex publication_date 2009/02/26 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
If a black hole has a low spin value, it must double its mass to reach a high spin parameter. Although this is easily accomplished through mergers or accretion in the case of supermassive black holes in galactic centers, it is impossible for stellar-mass black holes in X-ray binaries. Thus, the spin distribution of stellar-mass black holes is almost pristine, largely reflective of the angular momentum imparted at the time of their creation. This fact can help provide insights on two fundamental questions: What is the nature of the central engine in supernovae and gamma-ray bursts? and What was the spin distribution of the first black holes in the universe?