page_title: Spin-flip
hierarchical_section_title: Spin-flip
caption_attribution_description: English: Schematic diagram of a black hole spin-flip.
context_page_description: A black hole spin-flip occurs when the spin axis of a rotating black hole undergoes a sudden change in orientation due to absorption of a second black hole. Spin-flips are believed to be a consequence of galaxy mergers, when two supermassive black holes form a bound pair at the center of the merged galaxy and coalesce after emitting gravitational waves. Spin-flips are significant astrophysically since a number of physical processes are associated with black hole spins; for instance, jets in active galaxies are believed to be launched parallel to the spin axes of supermassive black holes.
  A change in the rotation axis of a black hole due to a spin-flip would therefore result in a change in the direction of the jet.
context_section_description: A black hole spin-flip occurs when the spin axis of a rotating black hole undergoes a sudden change in orientation due to absorption of a second (smaller) black hole. Spin-flips are believed to be a consequence of galaxy mergers, when two supermassive black holes form a bound pair at the center of the merged galaxy and coalesce after emitting gravitational waves. Spin-flips are significant astrophysically since a number of physical processes are associated with black hole spins; for instance, jets in active galaxies are believed to be launched parallel to the spin axes of supermassive black holes.
  A change in the rotation axis of a black hole due to a spin-flip would therefore result in a change in the direction of the jet.
caption: Schematic diagram of a black hole spin-flip.
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