Black hole 'dissonance' mystery solved by Tokyo Metropolitan University scientist

A scientist from Tokyo Metropolitan University has resolved the long-standing "dissonance" issue in gravitational waves emitted by black holes. Using high-precision calculations and a new theoretical framework, the researcher discovered the dissonance was caused by a resonance between two distinct modes. This phenomenon offers new perspectives on black hole spectroscopy, an emerging field of astrophysics. The study reveals that the dissonance is a result of a resonant interaction between two distinct modes, which frequently occurs in various mode combinations. Associate Professor Hayato Motohashi's theoretical analyses indicate this resonance isn't specific to black holes, also appearing in optics. This interdisciplinary approach heralds a new field called "non-Hermitian gravitational physics," promising to fully utilize data from projects like LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA.