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The Secret Lives of Mass Gap Black Holes

Elder, Jamee (2026) The Secret Lives of Mass Gap Black Holes. In: UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

Recent LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observations indicate black holes in the ``mass gap'' where pair-instability supernovae prevent black hole formation. One leading explanation is hierarchical mergers: merging black holes that are themselves products of prior mergers. I examine the evidence for this proposal and draw two methodological lessons. First, the high spins of mass-gap black holes serve as a ``smoking gun'' signature of merger origin. Second, such inferences rely on narrative models which scaffold epistemic iteration as new information is incorporated. This supports an optimistic view of astrophysical methodology and its capacity to uncover even the darkest objects' histories.

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Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Elder, Jameejamee.elder@gmail.com0000-0002-1482-5682
Keywords: Black holes, mass gap, historical sciences, epistemic iteration, observation, astrophysics
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Astrophysics
General Issues > Confirmation/Induction
General Issues > Evidence
Specific Sciences > Historical Sciences
Depositing User: Jamee Elder
Date Deposited: 05 Jun 2026 14:44
Last Modified: 05 Jun 2026 14:44
Item ID: 29946
Subjects: Specific Sciences > Physics > Astrophysics
General Issues > Confirmation/Induction
General Issues > Evidence
Specific Sciences > Historical Sciences
Date: 30 May 2026
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/29946

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