Abhas Mitra

Abhas Mitra
Native name	আভাস মিত্র
Born	(1955-06-18) 18 June 1955 India
Fields	Astrophysics Theoretical Physics Astronomy
Institutions	Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Homi Bhabha National Institute
Alma mater	University of Calcutta University of Mumbai

Abhas Mitra (born 18 June 1955) is an Indian astrophysicist best known for his distinct views on several front-line astrophysics concepts, particularly black holes and Big Bang Cosmology. His research has received widespread attention, especially in India, which is reflected from the fact that he is one of the most frequently mentioned Indian physicists on the web.

He has regularly questioned the mainstream cosmological concepts of the "big bang" and "black holes". He claims to have offered exact proofs that:

(i) The so-called black holes cannot be true black holes even within the context of classical general relativity and

(ii) The Big Bang solution is illusory and actual universe must be fundamentally different from the big bang paradigm.

Consequently, dark energy, his research claims, is an illusion caused by the departure of the complex universe from the simple big bang model.

Education and Career

He is an alumnus of the Uttarpara Govt. High School, and the University of Calcutta. The University of Mumbai conferred upon him the status of a "Distinguished Alumnus." As of 2014, he heads the theoretical astrophysics section of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai, India.

Scientific Work

Eternally Collapsing Objects

Though Mitra stresses that the `black hole’ solutions are correct, his contention is that black hole masses, arising from relevant integration constants, are actually zero. His peer reviewed paper published in Journal of Mathematical Physics of the American Institute of Physics supports this contention by showing that Schwarzschild black holes have M = 0. If so,

(i) The so-called massive Black Hole Candidates (BHCs) must be quasi-black holes rather than exact black holes and

(ii) During preceding gravitational collapse, entire mass energy and angular momentum of the collapsing objects must be radiated away before formation of exact mathematical black holes.

And since the formation of a mathematical zero mass black hole requires infinite proper time, continued gravitational collapse becomes eternal, and the so-called black hole candidates must be Eternally Collapsing Objects (ECO). Mitra’s peer reviewed papers describe why continued physical gravitational collapse should lead to formation of ECOs rather than true black holes, and the mathematical ``black hole’’ states can be achieved only asymptotically. An ECO is essentially a quasi-stable ultra-compact ball of fire (plasma) which is so hot due to preceding gravitational contraction that its outward radiation pressure balances its inward pull of gravity. Some astrophysicists claimed to have verified this prediction that astrophysical Black Hole Candidates are actually ECOs rather than true mathematical black holes. The corresponding Harvard University Press Release acknowledges Mitra's original contribution in this context.

In 2014, soon after Stephen Hawking called the alleged loss of information in black holes his "biggest blunder", Mitra received widespread attention in the Indian media, claiming that he had been 'vindicated' citing that he had apparently refuted Hawking and indicated the same almost 13 years back.

Against the Big Bang Paradigm

As per the present version of Big Bang Paradigm, almost 70% of the mass energy of the universe is due to ``Dark Energy’’ whose most likely form is Einstein’s Cosmological Constant. But Mitra’s research has shown that Cosmological Constant is exactly zero as suspected by many. In addition, these papers point out that as per cosmological observations, the actual universe is far more complex than the idealised perfect ``isotropy and homogeneity’’ assumed by the Big Bang model; and ``Dark Energy’’ is an illusion caused by such departures.

As per his recent research, a Big Bang universe can expand only linearly so that popular inflationary and cyclic models are actually inconsistent.

Since perfect Hubble flow implies radially outward motion of test particles receding from one another without any mutual collision, his research claimed to show that ideal Big Bang model corresponds to nil pressure and temperature. If correct, this implies that the ideal Big Bang model is fundamentally unable to describe the physical universe endowed with pressure and temperature.

He has also questioned the physical reality of dark energy.

Claimed Confirmation Of His Prediction

As per him, the so-called astrophysical black holes are ultra-magnetized and ultra-hot balls of plasma, nicknamed Magnetospheric Eternally Collapsing Objects which are something like extremely general relativistic versions of Sun. He claims, accordingly, MECOs can give rise to flares like Solar flares and Coronal mass ejections like the Sun. And on October 25, 2015, NASA reported that its NuStar telescope has detected a massive X-ray flare from a supermassive black hole in a certain quasar, and this flare appears to be triggered by emission of corona from very close to the black hole. In an interview to Nature India, Mitra claimed that, emission of such a corona from the so-called black hole suggests that it is actually a MECO and not a true mathematical black hole. In an international workshop entitled `Jet Triggering Mechanisms in Black Hole Sources', organized by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, India (January 20-23, 2016), he elaborated on this point in the presence of large number of astrophysicists.

Academic Associations

Mitra is associated with the `Himalayan Gamma Ray Observatory being set up at Han Leh jointly by Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre and Indian Institute of Astrophysics. He is also an Adjunct Prof. in Homi Bhabha National Science Institute since 2010. Dr. Mitra is also a member of the International Astronomical Union.