Calculations suggest fast-spinning black holes might split into two smaller ones

Thermodynamics usually prevents division

Black holes do not normally split because of thermodynamic laws. One major obstacle is entropy, which measures the number of microscopic arrangements a system can have while looking the same from outside. For an ordinary black hole that does not rotate, this rule strictly forbids splitting.

Spin changes the rules

The researchers investigated whether specific circumstances allow a split to happen despite these usual barriers. Francesco Sannino and his team found that high rotation speeds might overcome the standard thermodynamic limits. Their calculations indicate that a single black hole could theoretically break into two smaller ones under these conditions.

Study authors and findings

The paper lists Francesco Sannino from the University of Naples Federico II as a co-author alongside researchers from Paris and Southern Denmark. Giacomo Cacciapaglia works at a joint laboratory in Paris while Manuel Del Piano and Vania Vellucci are based in Denmark. The team published their results in the journal Physical Review D to share these theoretical insights.