Black Holes Collide

For Love And Glory, XIX.

The masses of two mutually approaching black holes are about nine and ten Sols;

therefore, their event horizons are about 60 kilometers in diameter;

their two eccentric galactic orbits converge;

the black holes will graze;

their event horizons will intersect;

computer predictions of the outcome are nonsensical;

initially, the encounter will release electromagnetic and other forces;

these forces will hurl matter outward;

the matter will recollapse over two or three days;

during this time, "'...radiation background and gas temperatures will be high and increasing.'" (p. 114)

recollapse will generate a lethal gamma burst detectable across the universe;

Dagmar's shields will enable her to remain nearby before and after the collision;

but she will be too deep in the gravity well for a hyperjump and it is not known what else will happen;

findings made so far are hyperbeamed to headquarters.