Imprints of recoiling massive black holes on the hot gas of early-type galaxies

Devecchi, B.; Rasia, Elena; Dotti, Massimo; Volonteri, Marta; Colpi, M.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.14329.x

Cited by 31 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…The structural properties of HCSSs are defined by the stellar distribution Figure 14: Recoiling black hole in a massive elliptical galaxy model 193 . The figure shows the color-coded density map (in logarithmic scale) of the gas perturbed by the massive black hole on its return orbit, at its first pericentric passage.…”

Section: Recoiling Black Holes In Galaxy Remnantsmentioning

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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Section: Recoiling Black Holes In Galaxy Remnantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Colpi

Dotti

2011

adv sci lett

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“…As galaxies merge, a kick to the final BH from the coalescence of the BHs at the galactic cores could have profound implications in subsequent mergers, affecting the growth of SMBHs via mergers as well as the population of galaxies containing SMBHs. In addition, there have been several suggestions of direct observational signatures of putative BH recoils [3,4,5,6,7,8], with one study [9] presenting evidence for the first candidate of a recoiling SMBH.BH kick velocities depend on the mass ratio and spins of the merging BHs as well as on the initial configuration and subsequent dynamics of the binary. Studies published to date have concerned the most astrophysically relevant configuration, that of quasi-circular inspirals [10,11,12,13].…”

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Superkicks in Hyperbolic Encounters of Binary Black Holes

et al. 2009

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Generic inspirals and mergers of binary black holes produce beamed emission of gravitational radiation that can lead to a gravitational recoil or kick of the final black hole. The kick velocity depends on the mass ratio and spins of the binary as well as on the dynamics of the binary configuration. Studies have focused so far on the most astrophysically relevant configuration of quasi-circular inspirals, for which kicks as large as ∼ 3, 300 km s −1 have been found. We present the first study of gravitational recoil in hyperbolic encounters. Contrary to quasi-circular configurations, in which the beamed radiation tends to average during the inspiral, radiation from hyperbolic encounters is plunge dominated, resulting in an enhancement of preferential beaming. As a consequence, it is possible to achieve kick velocities as large as 10, 000 km s −1 .PACS numbers: 04.60. Kz,04.60.Pp,98.80.Qc Numerical relativity estimates of the gravitational recoil or kick inflicted on the final black hole (BH) from generic inspirals and mergers of binary black holes (BBH) have triggered tremendous excitement in astrophysics. This is mainly due to the fact that most galaxies host a supermassive black hole (SMBH) at their centers [1, 2]. As galaxies merge, a kick to the final BH from the coalescence of the BHs at the galactic cores could have profound implications in subsequent mergers, affecting the growth of SMBHs via mergers as well as the population of galaxies containing SMBHs. In addition, there have been several suggestions of direct observational signatures of putative BH recoils [3,4,5,6,7,8], with one study [9] presenting evidence for the first candidate of a recoiling SMBH.BH kick velocities depend on the mass ratio and spins of the merging BHs as well as on the initial configuration and subsequent dynamics of the binary. Studies published to date have concerned the most astrophysically relevant configuration, that of quasi-circular inspirals [10,11,12,13]. One remarkable discovery has been kicks of a few thousand km s −1 found in configurations of equal-mass binaries with initially anti-aligned spins in the orbital plane [14,15,16]. For near extremal spins (a/m = 0.925), recoils as large as 3, 300 km s −1 have been computed [17].Motivated by our previous study [18] of the final spin of BHs from scattering mergers of BBHs, we present the first extension of gravitational recoil to hyperbolic encounters. There are crucial differences between hyperbolic and quasi-circular configurations that affect the kick to the final BH. For quasi-circular orbits, the emitted radiation is asymmetrically beamed, and carries linear momentum with it. But it tends to average out during the inspiral [19], producing a modest wobbling and drift of the center of mass of the binary. The final kick arises because as the binary approaches the plunge, the averaging loses its effectiveness, leading to a gradual recoil build-up. Both numerical simulations and postNewtonian studies [19,20] have confirmed the gradual kick accumulation during the inspir...

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“…Other signatures of recoiling SMBHs include effects on the morphology and dynamics of the gaseous disk of the host galaxy (Kornreich & Lovelace 2008), their imprints on the hot gas in early-type galaxies (Devecchi et al 2009 …”

Section: Other Recoil Signaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electromagnetic Signatures of Recoiling Black Holes

Komossa¹

2009

Proc. IAU

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Abstract. Recent numerical relativity simulations predict that coalescing supermassive black holes (SMBHs) can receive kick velocities up to several thousands of kilometers per second due to anisotropic emission of gravitational waves, leading to long-lived oscillations of the SMBHs in galaxy cores and even SMBH ejections from their host galaxies. Observationally, accreting recoiling SMBHs would appear as quasars spatially and/or kinematically offset from their host galaxies. The presence of these "kicks" and "superkicks" has a wide range of exciting astrophysical implications which only now are beginning to be explored, including consequences for black hole and galaxy growth at the epoch of structure formation, modes of feedback, unified models of AGN, and the number of obscured AGN. SMBH recoil oscillations beyond the torus scale can be on the order of a quasar lifetime, thus potentially affecting a large fraction of the quasar population. We discuss how this might explain the long-standing puzzle of a deficiency of obscured type 2 quasars at high luminosities. Observational signatures of recoiling SMBHs are discussed and results from follow-up studies of the candidate recoiling SMBH SDSSJ0927+2943 are presented.

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Imprints of recoiling massive black holes on the hot gas of early-type galaxies

Cited by 31 publications

References 63 publications

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

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

Superkicks in Hyperbolic Encounters of Binary Black Holes

Electromagnetic Signatures of Recoiling Black Holes

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