Binary Black Hole Merger in Galactic Nuclei: Post-Newtonian Simulations

Berentzen, I.; Preto, Miguel Torres; Berczik, Peter; Merritt, David; Spurzem, Rainer

doi:10.1088/0004-637x/695/1/455

Cited by 89 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Our results demonstrate that SMBH binaries in certain models of galactic nuclei can overcome the stalling barrier by stellar-dynamical effects alone. A detailed description and discussion of our models and results will be given in Berentzen et al (2008) and in Preto et al (2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Post‐Newtonian simulations of super‐massive black hole binaries in galactic nuclei

Berentzen¹,

Berczik

Merritt

et al. 2008

Astron Nachr

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We present some preliminary results from recent numerical simulations that model the evolution of super-massive black hole (SMBH) binaries in galactic nuclei. Including the post-Newtonian terms for the binary system and adopting appropriate models for the galaxies allows us, for the first time, to follow the evolution of SMBH binaries from kpc scales down to the coalescence phase. We use our results to make predictions of the detectability of such events with the gravitational wave detector LISA.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Observatory (Kiev). More details on the code and hardware are given in Berentzen et al (2008) and Spurzem et al (2008).…”

Section: Super-massive Black Hole Binaries In Galactic Nucleimentioning

confidence: 99%

Post‐Newtonian simulations of super‐massive black hole binaries in galactic nuclei

Berentzen¹,

Berczik

Merritt

et al. 2008

Astron Nachr

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“…On a smaller scale, when few body interactions become important, there is also the need to include post-Newtonian black hole dynamics, as indicated in in a recent study 194 . In gas-rich backgrounds, dissipation is known to play a key role in speeding black hole inspiral, but often the thermodynamical description of the gas has been treated in simple, idealized terms: the gas is multiphase and star formation, together with stellar/AGN feedback may play a critical role in affecting the actual dynamics of the black holes.…”

Section: Outstanding Problems and Conclusionmentioning

confidence: 99%

<I>A Special Section on</I> Computational Astrophysics

Colpi

Dotti

2011

adv sci lett

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Binary black holes occupy a special place in our quest for understanding the evolution of galaxies along cosmic history. If massive black holes grow at the center of (pre-)galactic structures that experience a sequence of merger episodes, then dual black holes form as inescapable outcome of galaxy assembly, and can in principle be detected as powerful dual quasars. But, if the black holes reach coalescence, during their inspiral inside the galaxy remnant, then they become the loudest sources of gravitational waves ever in the universe. The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna is being developed to reveal these waves that carry information on the mass and spin of these binary black holes out to very large look-back times. Nature seems to provide a pathway for the formation of these exotic binaries, and a number of key questions need to be addressed: How do massive black holes pair in a merger? Depending on the properties of the underlying galaxies, do black holes always form a close Keplerian binary? If a binary forms, does hardening proceed down to the domain controlled by gravitational wave back reaction? What is the role played by gas and/or stars in braking the black holes, and on which timescale does coalescence occur? Can the black holes accrete on flight and shine during their pathway to coalescence? After outlining key observational facts on dual/binary black holes, we review the progress made in tracing their dynamics in the habitat of a gas-rich merger down to the smallest scales ever probed with the help of powerful numerical simulations. N-Body/hydrodynamical codes have proven to be vital tools for studying their evolution, and progress in this field is expected to grow rapidly in the effort to describe, in full realism, the physics of stars and gas around the black holes, starting from the cosmological large scale of a merger. If detected in the new window provided by the upcoming gravitational wave experiments, binary black holes will provide a deep view into the process of hierarchical clustering which is at the heart of the current paradigm of galaxy formation. They will also be exquisite probes for testing General Relativity, as the theory of gravity. The waveforms emitted during the inspiral, coalescence and ringdown phase carry in their shape the sign of a dynamically evolving space-time and the proof of the existence of an horizon.

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“…A crucial result from theory is that mass segregation in clusters with rotation proceeds in a nontrivial way, on a timescale that optimises angular-momentum diffusion (see Kim et al 2004 for details). Here, I mention an application to galactic nuclei where 244 C. M. Boily multimass models have drawn mainly from Monte Carlo simulations of dense environments (Fregeau et al 2002;Freitag et al 2006b), while N -body modelling has focussed on the orbital migration of black-hole binaries or the interplay between single-star populations and black-hole binaries (see Berentzen et al 2009 for a recent update on this problem). An important distinction with respect to stellar clusters is the inclusion of a massive black hole in the calculations at rest at the centre of the system.…”

Section: Iaus266 Stellar Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The internal dynamics of stellar clusters

Boily

2009

Proc. IAU

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Abstract. In this brief review I summarise recent progress in the area of stellar dynamics, focusing on the dynamics of bound, self-gravitating stellar associations in isolation and (approximate) equilibrium. The basics of stellar dynamics are first outlined and the importance of stellar evolution is stressed. Subsequently, I argue that the evolution of anisotropic clusters of stars still holds solutions to current outstanding problems, such as the dynamics of galactic nuclei. I take a more personal standpoint when discussing the role of stellar evolution in the dynamics on relaxation timescales and draw from several recent models to underscore that a major step forward has been made in coupling stellar evolution and dynamics. I then briefly visit the issue of multiple stars and highlight some as yet unsolved problems.

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Binary Black Hole Merger in Galactic Nuclei: Post-Newtonian Simulations

Cited by 89 publications

References 53 publications

Post‐Newtonian simulations of super‐massive black hole binaries in galactic nuclei

Post‐Newtonian simulations of super‐massive black hole binaries in galactic nuclei

<I>A Special Section on</I> Computational Astrophysics

The internal dynamics of stellar clusters

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