Chinese scientists simulate black hole using quantum computing, test Hawking's theory

A team of researchers, led by Chinese scientists has managed to simulate the physics of black holes by using quantum computing. They said the test was an attempt toward creating systems that have properties 'analogous to black holes'. They alsotested a theory devised by renownedphysicist Stephen Hawking.

The findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Communications this month.The scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin University, the Beijing Academy of Quantum Information Sciences and the RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research in Japan took Hawking's hypothesis on 'Hawking radiation' as the basis for the study.

They stimulated the quantum effects of black holes withsuperconducting quantum chips. The team of researchers, during the experiment, developed "superconducting processor consisting of a chain of 10 qubits with interaction couplings controlled by nine tunable couplers", according to SCMP.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

“The results show that there is always a certain probability that the quasiparticle inside the analogue black hole will radiate through the event horizon, and its radiation probability satisfies the property of Hawking radiation,” the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences said in an article on research progress.

The scientists added that their research paves way for unearthing much deeper secrets about black holes.

“This new constructed analogue black hole then facilitates further investigations of other related problems of the black hole,” the team wrote.

What is Hawking radiation?

The British theoretical physicist gave thetheory that very tiny particles, the building blocks of matter, spontaneously come into existence across the 'not-so-empty' universe. These virtual particle pairs (for every electron created, a positron will be created at the same time and in the same place) upon creation, quickly annihilate each other and the universe goes on about its business as usual.

However, when a particle and anti-particle (the pair as we previously called it) come into existence near the event horizon of a black hole, Hawking posited that one gets sucked in and the other does not, meaning they wouldn't annihilate. The split leaves one half of every pair to escape as actual radiation called 'Hawking radiation'.

How are black holes formed?

Most black holes are formed when stars reach the end of their lives. While a significant number of stars inflate to become red giants, they later cool down tometamorphose into a white dwarf. However, those much bigger than our solar system's star (10 to 20 times massive) become super-dense neutron stars or so-called stellar-mass black holes.

WATCH |WION Fineprint | Scientists discover the first 'invisible' Black Hole

First black hole picture

It was four years ago that scientists first captured the rare image of a black hole,situated at the centre of the galaxy M87, located 53 million light-years from Earth.

In April, using artificial intelligence (AI), scientists were able to give a major touch-up to the cosmic photograph.The image captured by the Event Horizons Telescope (EHT) in 2019 revealed a blurry, red-orange fiery, doughnut-shaped object.

The updated picture using AI shows the same shape of the black hole, albeit with a much sharper resolution. Meaning, the ring around the black hole appears skinnier and centre, much 'darker'.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: