UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., Jan. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists said the way supermassive black holes get so large is by consuming smaller black holes as well as nearby stars.
Using computer models, Penn State University scientists simulated the process, which they likened to big fish eating smaller fish in the sea, although such events are difficult to observe.
"Most galaxies contain a supermassive black hole, and from time to time a smaller black hole or neutron star will fall in," said Steinn Sigurdsson, associate professor of astronomy. "Very little light, if any, is emitted. This is done in the dark (so) our best chance of studying the process is through gravitational radiation."
Such radiation is caused by ripples in space-time created by the sudden motions of very massive objects. No such ripples have been detected so far, but that may change when the new Laser Interferometer Space Antennae array, in joint development by NASA and the European Space Agency, is launched.
When the LISA array begins operating, Sigurdsson said astronomers could expect to detect several black-hole cannibalism events each year.
