A recent study from the University of Miami suggests that an unusual gravitational wave detected by LIGO could represent the first evidence of a primordial black hole. Researchers say such an object would support the idea that these ancient black holes make up dark matter.
Nico Cappelluti, an associate professor at the University of Miami, and his Ph.D. student Alberto Magaraggia analyzed a signal recorded by LIGO late last year. The event involved at least one object with a mass below that of the Sun, which does not fit standard models of black hole formation from stars.
Their paper, published in The Astrophysical Journal, concludes that the signal is best explained as a primordial black hole formed shortly after the Big Bang. The researchers estimate that such objects should be rare, matching the low number of detections so far.
Cappelluti noted that additional signals will be needed for confirmation. He said LIGO has provided strong evidence but that further observations are required to establish the existence of primordial black holes beyond doubt.
The study also suggests these objects could account for a significant portion of dark matter, the invisible material thought to make up most of the universe's mass.