Scientists at the Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences in San Diego have concluded that tiny black holes can enter neutron stars and swallow their matter like parasites. This process leads to the appearance of heavy chemical elements such as gold, platinum and uranium. The researchers' article was published in the journal Physical Review Letters. This is reported on the Phys.org website.
In the early stages of the evolution of the Universe, space was filled with hydrogen and helium. The first stars began to form from them, in the depths of which heavier chemical elements, up to iron, were synthesized. Atoms with a large ordinal number can only be formed during catastrophic events, for example, supernovae or the merger of two neutron stars.
Researchers have proposed a new mechanism for the formation of heavy elements involving small black holes. The latter are hypothetical objects that could have arisen as a by-product of the Big Bang. They, according to scientists, can make up some fraction of dark matter. If such a black hole gets inside a neutron star, it will eject neutron-rich material. This could explain the observed abundance of heavy elements in the Universe.
Astrophysicists believe that their point of view is supported by the fact that in the centers of galaxies, where there should be many black holes, there are few neutron stars. In addition, the devouring process must be accompanied by emissions of radiation, which can be the cause of rapid radio bursts.