Friday, December 12, 2025

Further Analysis Discloses Gravitational Wave Event Has More Prosaic Explanation Than 'Parallel Universes'

 

                  Image from a recent Science & Astronomy Facebook post
Two parallel universes out of phase by an elemental tau t 1  (10-43 s)

 As with many advanced physics concepts the abstraction often precedes the discovery or what can be tied physically to it.  Such was the case with de Broglie waves before an actual experiment confirmed the existence of these “matter waves.” Thus, the experimental arrangement:

A white rectangle in the dark

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

Leads to electrons scattered by atoms originating from crystal planes inside the nickel crystal, leaving patterns from which the de Broglie wavelength could be calculated according to:

n\lambda =2d\sin \left(90^{{\circ }}-{\frac  {\theta }{2}}\right),

In this case the dark fringes (as suggested  by Deutsch) arise from "shadow photons" originating from a parallel universe.  

By August, 2023 a much more complex detection strategy emerged. This entailed an Oak Ridge experiment, according to NBC News, with physicist Leah Broussard firing a beam of neutrons through a 15m (50-foot)  tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, the particles would strike an impenetrable wall with a neutron detector set up on the other end of the wall.

This entailed an Oak Ridge experiment, according to NBC News, with physicist Leah Broussard firing a beam of neutrons through a 15m (50-foot)  tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, the particles would strike an impenetrable wall with a neutron detector set up on the other end of the wall.

According to Broussard’s theory some of those particles would transform into mirror-image versions of themselves, passing through the wall. Then, according to the working hypothesis, if the neutron detector detected a neutron, it could prove the existence of a parallel dimension or universe.  How so?   Well, in order for the neutron to pass through the wall it has to oscillate into the mirror world-universe then back into our own   If just one neutron does make it to the other side and back it will change the game and mark the first experiment ever accessing a parallel universe via a portal.  (An artist's representation of this model is shown in the lower diagram.)

Few will be surprised here to learn that up to now this attempt at parallel universe detection has not been confirmed. Indeed, it appears to have been debunked, i.e.

ORNL's Portal to a Parallel Universe Myth Debunked

Flash forward and yet another means of parallel universe detection seems to have emerged, this one based on complicated gravitational wave signals from massive black holes.  As per a Facebook post from the Science and Astronomy FB group we read:

Scientists believe they may have detected a mysterious signal that could have come from a parallel universe — possibly traveling through a cosmic wormhole before reaching Earth. The unusual gravitational wave, known as GW190521, doesn’t behave like any black hole collision we’ve seen before, showing no normal “chirp” and lasting just a fraction of a second. This strange signal is now fueling bold new theories about hidden realities and dimensions beyond our own.

Well a "strange signal fueling bold new theories about hidden realities beyond our own" is one thing, but proving them is another thing. That being the case let's back up and clarify a few points of reference. Wormholes are hypothetical objects which connect one distant point in space from another, or two universes, and were first proposed by Albert Einstein and Nathan Rosen in 1935.  But let us be clear we have not detected any such entities up to now.

Black holes, on the other hand have been detected, in particular black hole collisions using LIGO ( Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory)  e.g.

Navograv Astrophysics Team Makes History With Detection Of Black Hole Collision Using Gravitational Waves

The latest effort focuses on a gravitational wave event denoted GW190521 and the paper can be accessed at the link below:

GW190521: A Binary Black Hole Merger with a Total Mass of | Phys. Rev. Lett.

According to one (minority) take the gravitational wave event detected by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration on 21 May 2019, is a good candidate for an actual wormhole detection. The signal is unusual in its extremely short duration, lasting around 0.1 seconds, according to the team.

That team writes:

"A particularly compelling aspect of GW190521 is the lack of precursor signal prior to the main burst, which hints the possibility that it might not originate from a standard coalescence process of BBHs [binary black holes]," the team writes. "We hypothesize that GW190521 might represent a single, isolated GW echo pulse from the wormhole, which is the postmerger remnant of BBHs in another universe and connected to our universe through a throat."

Adding for good effect:

"The postmerger ringdown signal passes through the throat of wormhole and penetrate the photon sphere barrier in the side of our universe, and could then be detected in our universe as a short duration burst lacking a pre-merger phase."

Modeling the wormhole scenario, the team found that it could produce a signal-to-noise ratio comparable to the observed event. However, according to their Bayesian analysis it did not currently fit the event better than the binary black hole merger scenario proposed by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration. 

To cut a somewhat involved explanation and hypothesis short, the team believes that the detection of the gravitational wave event  GW231123 on November 23, 2023, shares a similar burst-like short duration nature with GW19052. And this could be evidence for a parallel universe, carefully phrased as:

 "an event motivating intensive investigation on the nature of its source"

 Further exercising caution, probably recalling the Oak Ridge fiasco, the team concludes.  

"A systematic model comparison test including various possible sources for such short duration GW signals might be necessary for better understanding the physical origins of corresponding GW events."

Lastly, we need to recognize there is a more plausible, non-exotic explanation for the signal oddity,

GW190521 as a dynamical capture of two nonspinning black holes | Nature Astronomy

See Also:


And:

GW190521 The Impossible Black Hole

And:

Video | Numerical simulation of a heavy black-hole merger (GW190521) | LIGO Lab | Caltech

And:

Unusual Gravitational Wave May Be Sign of Wormhole Linking Universes : ScienceAlert

Thursday, December 11, 2025

The Perturbed 2-Body Problem And The Role Of The Delaunay Variables In Solutions

 

                             Perturbation diagram to for Delaunay variable analysis


The perturbed two-body problem begins by mathematically defining the perturbation in terms of the quantities in the triangle above. This actually shows  how the presence of a third body (say m 3  in the accompanying diagram) perturbs or disturbs the motion of m 2. which is in orbit about a central mass m 1. (And of course: m 1  >>  m 2  )  Then we can write for the perturbation (N.B.  m  is the reduced mass, =   1/ (1/m 2   + 1/ m 3):

r'' =  -   / r3   -   G m 3  ((r -  r 3  /  D 3  ) +   3   /   r  3

=    -   / r3   -  Ñ R

Where:   Ñ R  =   m 3  (r -  r3  /  D 3  ) +   3   /   r  3

And:  R  =   - m 3  (1/  D    +   2 ·  r 3   /   r  3)

Then, adding the perturbations we get:

r'' = -   / r3   -  Ñ R  =  Ö( x'' 2  +  y'' +  z'' 2  )

For which a set of coordinates: q 1,2,3   =  x, y, z are defined, and a set of momenta p 1,2,3   =  x', y', z'    associated with them.  Hence:

dq i  / dt  =  H  /  p i        and:     dp i  / dt  = - H  /  q i 

Leading to the Hamiltonian:  

 =   ½ å 3 i=1  P i 2    -  m / r  -  R

If this form exists, then a, e, i  etc. must be functions of the time and also further computations may be needed, i.e.


But instead of functions with a, e, i one can make use of the Delaunay variables: L', G', H', respectively.
 Where:

L'  =   H  /  ℓ 

G' =     H  /  g 

H’  =  -    H  /  h

These Delaunay variables are defined by the equations:

ℓ  =   n(t  - T)

L =  Ö(m a)

G  =   L    Ö (1 -   e 2)

H =   G cos i

g   =  w

h  =   Ω

Where a is the orbit's semi-major axis,  Ω  is the longitude of the ascending node,  is the arguments of the perihelion, e is the eccentricity of the orbit and i is the inclination of orbit to the ecliptic plane.

In this case, the previous Hamiltonian: 

 =   ½ å 3 i=1  P i 2    -  m / r  -  R

Transforms to:

H  (L,  ℓ  )  =   -  m 2 / 2 L 2  -  2  3    {1/  D (L,  ℓ  )  +   r ·  r 3   /   r  }

 A huge simplification arrives  if R = 0., which then reduces to the 2-body problem, which we've examined in previous blog posts.   Note that R in the second Hamiltonian is expressed:

R   =   2  3    {1/  D (L,  ℓ  )  +   r ·  r 3   /   r  }

Now, for the case at hand (consult diagram), we may write:

D 2     =  r  2   +   r  2    -   2 ·  r 3  cos S

 And:  r ·  r 3  =   r   r 3  cos S

Assume now that 3  is greater than r (perturbing an inner planet or body by an outer one):

1 /D      =  1/r [ 1 + (r / r 3)  2  -  2 (r / r 3)  cos S] 1/2

Then the above can be rewritten as the sum:

½ å ¥ r= 0  (r / r 3i  P i 

=   1/  r 3  [ o   +   (r / r 3)    + (r / r 3)  2     +  ...]

The P i   are functions of the angle S and are called Legendre polynomials.  In this case, the first three may be written:

o   =   1,      P 1     =   cos S,    P 2     =   ½ ( cos 2 S   -   1) 


Suggested Problem:

  Estimate the magnitude of the error in the modified Hamiltonian H  in terms of k and   m 3.  (You can take  m =  mass of Jupiter,  m = mass  of Earth, and a =  semi-major axis of Jupiter).   Make sure your reference Hamiltonian conforms with these.

Once More Loyola's SGA Denies Turning Point USA Official Recognition As A Campus Organization

 

                     TPUSA trio who appealed to get SGA acceptance at Loyola

              Marquette Hall where vote to deny Turning Point was held

For hopefully the last time, Loyola University- New Orleans has rejected the efforts of Turning Point USA to become a legitimate part of Loyola's Student Government Association (SGA).  As I had written in The Loyola Maroon, warning about TPUSA along with another letter writer (my reply following his):

Moe Quinns • Nov 9, 2025 at 11:10 pm

Turning Point USA’s op-ed at Loyola New Orleans is deeply misleading because it cloaks a hyper-partisan, nationally discredited organization in the language of “dialogue,” “inclusion,” and “Jesuit values.” Their opinion piece that they had written by the TPUSA fuhrer’s also frames Loyola’s rejection as censorship of conservative thought, but ignores TPUSA’s long record of spreading misinformation, vilifying professors through its “Professor Watchlist,” and aligning with white supremacist and anti-LGBTQ rhetoric—all of which directly contradict the Jesuit commitment to truth, justice, and human dignity. Their claim that being denied a charter makes Loyola less inclusive twists the concept of inclusion itself: inclusion doesn’t mean giving a platform to groups whose very mission undermines equity and safety for others. By pretending their agenda is simply about “faith-informed civic engagement,” they erase the fact that TPUSA is a multimillion-dollar political machine designed to radicalize students and attack universities under the guise of free speech. The group’s local founders may be naïve (I’m being gracious) rather than malicious, but the rhetoric of victimhood and false equivalence—“we just want debate”—is a hallmark of TPUSA’s national playbook. Loyola’s student senate didn’t silence anyone; it upheld the university’s moral and educational integrity.

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    Philip A Stahl • Nov 12, 2025 at 9:07 pm

    Thanks for your comment, as these are exactly my sentiments as well, having written about Charlie Kirk and his use of TPUSA in several blog posts. We now know TPUSA has been used to enlist the youths of this country into conspiracy thinking as well as misogynistic and white supremacy memes. As you noted “we just want to debate” is a frequently used tactic. But it is merely sophistry disguised as reasoned argument as I pointed out in a Sept. 19 post (‘How Did Charlie Kirk’s Cheerleaders Miss His Use Of Sophistry? And My Own College Debate With A Sophist Colleague’) from my blog Brane Space


 





The followup SGA denial was then reported in the most recent issue of the Loyola Maroon, e.g.

Loyola’s SGA rejects Turning Point charter for a second time - The Maroon

Noting.

"Loyola University Student Government Association senate voted to deny Turning Point USA official recognition for the second time this semester. 

This decision followed an overflow meeting on Dec. 3 that drew more than 60 students and forced some attendees to leave due to fire-safety limits. After additional motions, procedural clarifications and a decision to go into executive session, the Senate held a vote. 

Students from a range of majors and classifications gave their input of what has been happening the past few weeks.

Junior sociology major Miu Sims urged senators to reject the charter.

“TPUSA poses a serious security threat to students and faculty,” Sims said. 

She added that the chapter has referenced working with a liaison connected to the Campus Victory Project, an initiative that seeks to influence student governments.

“Considering ICE’s recent activity in New Orleans, this could put immigrant and international students at risk,” she said."


The latter, Junior Sociology major (Miu Sims) is spot on correct as ICE has been running amok in New Orleans since arriving almost a week ago, virtually destroying the city's famed dining business in the French Quarter. I also warned about TPUSA in earlier  letters, one in response to a TPUSA defender (Paulo) who insisted I "check my sources") which led to my response - also shown below- in which I recommended he go to my blog and check the assorted Kirk outrages I cited. (Not that he will!)

A more recent hardhead screamed in The Maroon:

 "Where is the free speech at Loyola?" to which I replied:

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Philip A Stahl • Dec 10, 2025 at 9:39 am

Free speech from the likes of TPUSA and Kirk? Don’t make me laugh. The sheer prejudice, effrontery and arrogance of Kirk, are exemplified in these sound bites from his “debates” which always sought to stifle opponents:

“Happening all the time in urban America, prowling Blacks go around for fun to go target white people, that’s a fact. It’s happening more and more”.– The Charlie Kirk Show, 19 May 2023

“If I’m dealing with somebody in customer service who’s a moronic Black woman, I wonder is she there because of her excellence, or is she there because of affirmative action?”– The Charlie Kirk Show, 3 January 2024

“If we would have said that Joy Reid and Michelle Obama and Sheila Jackson Lee and Ketanji Brown Jackson were affirmative action picks, we would have been called racists. Now they’re coming out and they’re saying it for us … You do not have the brain processing power to otherwise be taken really seriously. You had to go steal a white person’s slot to go be taken somewhat seriously.”– The Charlie Kirk Show, 13 July 2023

“We need to have a Nuremberg-style trial for every gender-affirming clinic doctor. We need it immediately.”– The Charlie Kirk Show, 1 April 2024

“America was at its peak when we halted immigration for 40 years and we dropped our foreign-born percentage to its lowest level ever. We should be unafraid to do that”.– The Charlie Kirk Show, 22 August 2025

“The American Democrat party hates this country. They wanna see it collapse. They love it when America becomes less white”.– The Charlie Kirk Show, 20 March 2024

A recent Daily Kos contributor nailed Kirk’s basic shtick:

“What is noteworthy about Kirk’s supposed “debate prowess” was his penchant for flinging wild assertions without any supporting evidence, his apparent ignorance regarding who has the burden of proof, and his use of logical fallacies. For example, his banner at the Utah campus proclaimed, “Prove Me Wrong.” No, the burden of proof is on you to prove that you are correct. No one has any obligation to disprove an unproven claim. His proclamation was based on illogically shifting the burden of proof.”

Loyola’s SGA did the absolute correct thing to deny TPUSA a formal entry. No, these Kirk zealots speech is not denied. They can still write their opinions in the Maroon or give speeches on campus.





















And from the earlier (Nov. 12) Maroon letters section: 

Philip A Stahl • Nov 12, 2025 at 6:36 pm

Incredibly, the imps pushing for the TPUSA acceptance actually claimed an “alignment with Jesuit values of faith and justice” – which is pure balderdash. Those Jesuit values do not include racism, misogyny and extremist radicalization – all of which were embodied by TPUSA’s founder Charlie Kirk. Whom one UK podcaster who has studied TPUSA had this to say:\:

“”It was essentially a radicalization scheme for the youth. Their big sell was that ‘the Left is ruining your life’ and they essentially framed rebellion as siding with the far right.

Why do this? Because the Right realized they couldn’t get by relying on the votes of the old forever. So they targeted the young with this light-hearted meme warfare, using Tik Tok to spread memes.

This is how the young people know who Charlie Kirk is. And they framed the message as an outsider voice to appeal to young people who might otherwise be disillusioned by having hard right government. The problem with this is it pushes young people directly into the radicalization pipeline.

A 17-year old might watch a Charlie Kirk video and end up deep in the conspiracy pipeline.”

Note: I am a former Loyola student (1964-67) who seemed to have absorbed Jesuit values better than these Gen Z students.

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    paulo • Nov 19, 2025 at 2:51 pm

    Philip, I think you need to check your sources. I would love to see the racism, misogyny etc. that Charlie Kirk supposedly espoused.

    Also, who seems more fascist: a guy who said “let’s talk” and handed his opponent a microphone? Or the people who resort to falsehoods to keep a group off campus?

    Reply  

We have to hope that with this most recent denial the case is finally settled and Kirk's Turning Point brigade will grasp they are not wanted at Loyola.

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