Dark Energy Black Holes with Intermediate Masses at High Redshifts: an earlier generation of Quasars and observations

TL;DR

This paper proposes that Dark Energy, linked to neutrino masses, can undergo phase transitions forming intermediate mass black holes at high redshifts, potentially explaining early universe observations and predicting new black hole populations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model connecting Dark Energy phase transitions to black hole formation, predicting an early peak of intermediate mass black holes at high redshifts.

Findings

Predicts an earlier peak of Dark Energy Black Holes at redshift ~18.

Suggests these black holes can explain EDGES and high-redshift SMBH observations.

Proposes observational strategies with JWST to detect these black holes.

Abstract

Dark Energy is the largest fraction of the energy density of our Universe - yet it remains one of the enduring enigmas of our times. Here we show that Dark Energy can be used to solve 2 tantalizing mysteries of the observable universe. We build on existing models of Dark Energy linked to neutrino masses. In these models Dark Energy can undergo Phase Transitions and form Black Holes. Here we look at the implications of the family structure of neutrinos for the phase transitions in dark energy and associated peaks in black hole formation. It has been previously shown that one of these peaks in Black Hole formation is associated with the observed peak in Quasar formation. Here, we predict that there will also be an earlier peak in the Dark Energy Black Holes at high redshifts. These Dark Energy Black Holes formed at high redshifts are Intermediate Mass Black Holes (IMBHs).These Dark Energy Black Holes at large redshift can help explain both the EDGES observations and the observations of large Supermassive Black Holes (SMBHs) at redshifts $z \sim 7$. The existence of an earlier phase of Dark Energy Black Holes take care of some current challenges to theory implied by existing astronomical data and also helps us look for these Dark Energy Black Holes at high redshifts as predicted here through targeted searches for these Black Holes at the redshifts $z \sim 18$. There is a slight dependence of the location of the peak on the lightest neutrino mass - so the peak may be located at a slightly lower value of the redshift. This may actually enable a measurement of the lightest neutrino mass. Finding these Dark Energy Black Holes of Intermediate Mass should be within the reach of upcoming observations - particularly with the James Webb Space Telescope - but perhaps also through the use of other innovative techniques focusing specifically on the redshifts around $z \sim 18$.