The sound of the event horizon

During the ringdown phase of a gravitational signal emitted by a black hole, the least damped quasinormal frequency dominates. If modifications to Einstein's theory induce noticeable deformations of the black-hole geometry only near the event horizon, the fundamental mode remains largely unaffected. However, even a small change near the event horizon can significantly impact the first few overtones, providing a means to probe the geometry of the event horizon. Overtones are stable against small deformations of spacetime at a distance from the black hole, allowing the event horizon to be distinguished from the surrounding environment. In contrast to echoes, overtones make a much larger energy contribution. These findings open up new avenues for future observations.