Can Black Holes be Propelled by Ion Engines?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion explores the feasibility of propelling black holes using ion engines, particularly through the asymmetry of jets and Newton’s Third Law. It suggests that while high velocities could theoretically be achieved, significant asymmetry would be required. The conversation highlights that black holes can gain substantial speeds from events like supernovae or close encounters, with potential velocities reaching up to 700 km/s. However, achieving propulsion via ion engines is deemed unlikely, with estimates suggesting a maximum of around 100 km/s under optimal conditions. Overall, the consensus indicates that traditional mechanisms are more effective for black hole acceleration than ion propulsion.
cph
Messages
43
Reaction score
0
Jet propelled Black Holes by ion engine? Might asymmetry of jets for BH, together with Newton’s Third Law, result in high velocity over time, from an ion engine? Perhaps even several 100 km/s? Might Large Synoptic Telescope detect motion of associated binary massive star?
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
cph said:
Jet propelled Black Holes by ion engine? Might asymmetry of jets for BH, together with Newton’s Third Law, result in high velocity over time, from an ion engine? Perhaps even several 100 km/s? Might Large Synoptic Telescope detect motion of associated binary massive star?

What's your question, are you asking if it would be possible to do so? Why would you want to anyway?
 
cph said:
Might asymmetry of jets for BH, together with Newton’s Third Law, result in high velocity over time, from an ion engine?
No, not really. The asymmetry would have to be immense.
BH can obtain large velocities from close-encounters, supernova kicks, or gravitational radiation after a merger.
 
IIRC, if a close binary partner goes supernova, the other partner may be flung off at speeds up to ~ 700 kilometres per second.

AFAIR, the remnant's polar jets will be equal, to first approximation. Motion will not be due to 'jet thrust', just the result of orbital velocity...
 
Nik_2213 said:
IIRC, if a close binary partner goes supernova, the other partner may be flung off at speeds up to ~ 700 kilometres per second.
You can't reach those velocites from such a mechanism. To unbind the BH, the partner's supernova would have to eject at least half the mass of the system. You might be able to reach ~ 100 km/s with a strong kick, and high mass ejection.
 

Thread 'Potential biosignature found in Mars rock'

Publication: Redox-driven mineral and organic associations in Jezero Crater, Mars Article: NASA Says Mars Rover Discovered Potential Biosignature Last Year Press conference The ~100 authors don't find a good way this could have formed without life, but also can't rule it out. Now that they have shared their findings with the larger community someone else might find an explanation - or maybe it was actually made by life.
View full post »

Thread 'Does it make sense to build new radio telescopes?'

TL;DR Summary: In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect alien signals, it will further expand the radius of the so-called silence (or rather, radio silence) of the Universe. Is there any sense in this or is blissful ignorance better? In 3 years, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope (or rather, a system of telescopes) should be put into operation. In case of failure to detect...
View full post »
Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

Thread 'Could gamma-ray bursts have an intragalactic origin?'

This is indirectly evidenced by a map of the distribution of gamma-ray bursts in the night sky, made in the form of an elongated globe. And also the weakening of gamma radiation by the disk and the center of the Milky Way, which leads to anisotropy in the possibilities of observing gamma-ray bursts. My line of reasoning is as follows: 1. Gamma radiation should be absorbed to some extent by dust and other components of the interstellar medium. As a result, with an extragalactic origin, fewer...
View full post »

Similar threads

I Formation of jets with accretion disks at black holes
Replies
11
Views
3K
Stargazing Merger of two black holes (video)
Replies
7
Views
3K
B Observational bias? Lack of massive black hole observations....
Replies
4
Views
2K
I Where Are the Missing Black Holes in the Milky Way?
2
Replies
87
Views
9K
I Is there a plan for a search for nearby black holes?
2
Replies
55
Views
8K
I What do high-mass X-ray binaries, or HMXBs, tell us?
Replies
1
Views
2K
Black hole accretion disk/jet reference
Replies
1
Views
2K
A Do Large Galaxies Exist Without Central Supermassive Black Holes?
Replies
1
Views
2K
I Black Holes in Curved Spacetime
Replies
23
Views
3K
Black holes in the globular cluster M22 with Dr. Tom Maccarone
Replies
12
Views
4K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top