Does dark matter fall into a black hole, and create radiation

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around whether dark matter falls into black holes and if it generates radiation during this process, similar to normal matter. Participants explore the properties of dark matter, its interaction with black holes, and the implications for detection methods.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that dark matter does fall into black holes but does not create radiation due to its lack of electromagnetic interaction.
  • Others argue that the nature of dark matter is not fully understood, and several hypothesized types could potentially radiate when falling into a black hole.
  • A participant suggests that understanding the composition of dark matter is crucial to determining whether it emits radiation upon entering a black hole.
  • It is mentioned that the radiation from ordinary matter falling into a black hole is due to collisions with other matter, which dark matter, being collisionless, would not experience.
  • One participant speculates about the possibility of dark matter contributing to dark energy if it falls into black holes in large amounts, although this idea is framed as more poetic than scientific.
  • Another participant emphasizes that dark matter and dark energy are unrelated concepts, highlighting the arbitrary nature of the term 'dark.'
  • There is a suggestion that the discussion is largely speculative, with no definitive answers available regarding the nature of dark matter.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express multiple competing views regarding the behavior of dark matter in relation to black holes, and the discussion remains unresolved with no consensus on the nature of dark matter or its interactions.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of established properties of dark matter, dependence on speculative hypotheses, and the unresolved nature of the discussion regarding radiation and interactions with black holes.

DarkMatterHol
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Does dark matter fall into a black hole, and create radiation as it falls in like normal matter? If not, why not? If so, can we use this to detect it directly?
 
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Yes, and no. It falls in, but it does not create radiation - it's dark, i.e. does not interact electromagnetically.
 
Thank you for the reply Vanadium 50.

Does that mean that dark matter is neutral in the way neutrons and others are?

I guess the preliminary question should be - would neutrons emit radiation when they fall into a black hole?
 
Vanadium 50 said:
Yes, and no. It falls in, but it does not create radiation - it's dark, i.e. does not interact electromagnetically.

As far as I know, we haven't established what it is, so we can't state what its properties are.

Several of the hypothesized types of dark matter would quite visibly radiate when falling into a black hole.
 
It is known that Dark Matter is electrically neutral.

I don't believe that any serious dark matter candidate (serious = matches the existing data) would radiate substantially. For example, MACHOs would radiate, but BBN and CMBR exclude them from being a substantial fraction of the dark matter.
 
before i post i will make it clear to ZapperZ since he hates me, that THIS IS NOT AN ANSWER JUST A SUGGESTION! I AM NOT SAYING I KNOW EVERYTHING!

Before you can find an answer to whether it emits radiation when entering a black hole, you must first know the composition of the dark matter, but, as mentioned before, if it is 'Dark' matter then no radiation will be generated. However could a huge mass -> energy conversion not occur as soon as the dark matter touches the black hole, due to its density or would it not react in this way? I truly do not know. i would like an answer or some possible educated guess maybe ?

thank you :)
 
You have to understand first what black hole is looking at Planck limits.
 
DarkMatterHol said:
Thank you for the reply Vanadium 50.

Does that mean that dark matter is neutral in the way neutrons and others are?

I guess the preliminary question should be - would neutrons emit radiation when they fall into a black hole?

From what I can recall some of the hypothesis shows that D.M influences the rotational speed of galaxies and so on implying "gravity" being meddled.Where observed > expected.Oh by the way your question doesn't fit how could we see radiation if everything is known to sucked in the E.H and with time dilation wouldn't it make our observation a bit harder?
~ibysaiyan
 
Last edited:
The radiation emitted by ordinary matter falling into a black hole is caused by collisions with other infalling matter. Given dark matter is essentially collisionless, it cannot radiate via this mechanism.
 
  • #10
Dark Matter wouldn't create "normal" radiation. What if the Dark Matter fell in in massive amounts, would it create Dark Energy spurting out in the BiPolar Jets? Perhaps this is the source of increased Dark Energy in the Universe?!?. It seems likely that much more Dark Matter falls into Black Holes than "Conventional Matter" does.

I must admit, my thoughts on this are based on the Romanticism/Poetry of it all. Chalk it up as a SighPhy Idea.
 
  • #11
Dark matter and dark energy are unrelated until otherwise demonstrated. The term 'dark' is purely arbitrary.
 
  • #12
This is Physics Forums. You might be looking for Poetry Forums. Up two flights and down the hall.
 
  • #13
Vanadium 50 said:
This is Physics Forums. You might be looking for Poetry Forums. Up two flights and down the hall.

Actually, I think it's in a different building entirely, way on the other side of campus.
 
  • #14
DarkMatterHol said:
Does dark matter fall into a black hole, and create radiation as it falls in like normal matter? If not, why not? If so, can we use this to detect it directly?

What kind of radiation are we talking about? Assuming that it is just ordinary matter with the handicap that it can't be seen due to a lack of electromagnetic radiation, why would it behave any different than normal matter?
Anyways, to my knowledge, anything about the nature of dark matter is speculation so far, so no definite answers can be given.
 

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