Beyond the Standard Model Explanations of GW190521

2020/09/02 by Jeremy Sakstein, Djuna Croon, Samuel D. McDermott +2 · 1 voice · 1 citation
Physics and Astronomy · #Astrophysical Phenomena and Observations #Astrophysics #Binary black hole #Black hole (networking) #Cosmology and Gravitation Theories #Gravitational wave #LIGO #Neutrino #Particle physics #Physics #Physics beyond the Standard Model #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #Standard Model (mathematical formulation) #Theoretical physics #astro-ph.CO #astro-ph.HE #gr-qc #hep-ph #hep-th

paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.125.261105

published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 261105 (2020) · Four pages, one figure. Comments welcome

arxiv created 2020/09/02 · arxiv published 2020/09/02 · openalex publication_date 2020/12/30 · arxiv updated 2021/01/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05

Abstract

The LIGO-Virgo Collaboration has recently announced the detection of a heavy binary black hole merger, with component masses that are difficult to account for in standard stellar structure theory. In this Letter, we propose several explanations based on models of new physics, including new light particle losses, modified gravity, large extra dimensions, and a small magnetic moment of the neutrino. Each of these affect the physics of the pair instability differently, leading to novel mechanisms for forming black holes inside the mass gap.

Citations

• Neutrino electromagnetic interactions: A window to new physics
• COMPACT REMNANT MASS FUNCTION: DEPENDENCE ON THE EXPLOSION MECHANISM AND METALLICITY
• MODULES FOR EXPERIMENTS IN STELLAR ASTROPHYSICS (MESA)
• How Massive Single Stars End Their Life
• The Hierarchy Problem and New Dimensions at a Millimeter
• Dynamics of dark energy
• Lectures on the Cosmological Constant Problem
• The Evolution of Massive Helium Stars, Including Mass Loss
• Constraints from Gravitational-wave Detections of Binary Black Hole Mergers on the 12C(α, γ)16O Rate
• GW190521: A Binary Black Hole Merger with a Total Mass of 150 ~ M_\odot
• Properties and Astrophysical Implications of the 150 M⊙ Binary Black Hole Merger GW190521

Cited by

• GW190521 from the Merger of Ultradwarf Galaxies

Discussions

• Quick work from @JeremySakstein @DjunaCroon et al. showing how beyond Standard Model could explain the exceptional masses of #GW190521's black holes https://arxiv.org/abs/2009.01213 [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]

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