Driven black holes: from Kolmogorov scaling to turbulent wakes

TL;DR

This paper shows that black hole horizons can exhibit turbulent spacetime dynamics similar to fluid turbulence, especially in anti-de Sitter spacetimes, with potential implications for astrophysical phenomena.

Contribution

It demonstrates for the first time that forced black hole horizons can display Kolmogorov-like turbulence in a controlled theoretical setting.

Findings

Black hole horizons exhibit Kolmogorov turbulence.

Tidal deformations induce turbulent wakes.

Turbulent dynamics may influence binary mergers.

Abstract

General relativity governs the nonlinear dynamics of spacetime, including black holes and their event horizons. We demonstrate that forced black hole horizons exhibit statistically steady turbulent spacetime dynamics consistent with Kolmogorov's theory of 1941. As a proof of principle we focus on black holes in asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetimes in a large number of dimensions, where greater analytic control is gained. We also demonstrate that tidal deformations of the horizon induce turbulent dynamics. When set in motion relative to the horizon a deformation develops a turbulent spacetime wake, indicating that turbulent spacetime dynamics may play a role in binary mergers and other strong-field phenomena.