The first and second Gravitational Wave Transient Catalogs by the LIGO/Virgo Collaboration include $50$ confirmed merger events from the first, second, and first half of the third observational runs. We compute the distribution of recoil kicks imparted to the merger remnants and estimate their retention probability within various astrophysical environments as a function of the maximum progenitor spin ($χ_{\rm max}$), assuming that the LIGO/Virgo binary black hole (BBH) mergers were catalyzed by dynamical assembly in a dense star cluster. We find that the distributions of average recoil kicks are peaked at about $150$ km s$^{-1}$, $250$ km s$^{-1}$, $350$ km s$^{-1}$, $600$ km s$^{-1}$, for maximum progenitor spins of $0.1$, $0.3$, $0.5$, $0.8$, respectively. Only environments with escape speed $\gtrsim 100$ km s$^{-1}$, as found in galactic nuclear star clusters as well as in the most massive globular clusters and super star clusters, could efficiently retain the merger remnants of the LIGO/Virgo BBH population even for low progenitor spins ($χ_{\rm max}=0.1$). In the case of high progenitor spins ($χ_{\rm max}\gtrsim 0.5$), only the most massive nuclear star clusters can retain the merger products. We also show that the estimated values of the effective spin and of the remnant spin of GW170729, GW190412, GW190519, and GW190620 can be reproduced if their progenitors were moderately spinning ($χ_{\rm max}\gtrsim 0.3$), while for GW190517 if the progenitors were rapidly spinning ($χ_{\rm max}\gtrsim 0.8$). Alternatively, some of these events could be explained if at least one of the progenitors is already a second-generation BH, originated from a previous merger.
We revisit the scenario of the gravitational radiation recoil acquired by the final remnant of a black-hole-binary merger by studying a set of configurations that have components of the spin both aligned with the orbital angular momentum and in the orbital plane. We perform a series of 42 new full numerical simulations for equal-mass and equal-spin-magnitude binaries. We extend previous recoil fitting formulas to include nonlinear terms in the spins and successfully include both the new and known results. The new predicted maximum velocity approaches 5000km/s for spins partially aligned with t…
Using simulations of non-rotating supernova progenitors, we explore the kicks imparted to and the spins induced in the compact objects birthed in core collapse. We find that the recoil due to neutrino emissions can be a factor affecting core recoil, comparable to and at times larger than the corresponding kick due to matter recoil. This result would necessitate a revision of the general model of the origin of pulsar proper motions. In addition, we find that the sign of the net neutrino momentum can be opposite to the sign of the corresponding matter recoil. As a result, at times the pulsar rec…
We compare binary evolution models with different assumptions about black-hole natal kicks to the first gravitational-wave observations performed by the LIGO detectors. Our comparisons attempt to reconcile merger rate, masses, spins, and spin-orbit misalignments of all current observations with state-of-the-art formation scenarios of binary black holes formed in isolation. We estimate that black holes (BHs) should receive natal kicks at birth of the order of $σ\simeq 200$ (50) km/s if tidal processes do (not) realign stellar spins. Our estimate is driven by two simple factors. The natal kick d…
Gravitational waves carry energy, angular momentum, and linear momentum. In generic binary black hole mergers, the loss of linear momentum imparts a recoil velocity, or a "kick", to the remnant black hole. We exploit recent advances in gravitational waveform and remnant black hole modeling to extract information about the kick from the gravitational wave signal. Kick measurements such as these are astrophysically valuable, enabling independent constraints on the rate of second-generation mergers. Further, we show that kicks must be factored into future ringdown tests of general relativity with…
The collapse of a massive star's core, followed by a neutrino-driven, asymmetric supernova explosion, can naturally lead to pulsar recoils and neutron star kicks. Here, we present a two-dimensional, radiation-hydrodynamic simulation in which core collapse leads to significant acceleration of a fully-formed, nascent neutron star (NS) via an induced, neutrino-driven explosion. During the explosion, a ~10% anisotropy in the low-mass, high-velocity ejecta lead to recoil of the high-mass neutron star. At the end of our simulation, the NS has achieved a velocity of ~150 km s$^{-1}$ and is accelerati…
Binary black holes radiate linear momentum in gravitational waves as they merge. Recoils imparted to the black-hole remnant can reach thousands of km/s, thus ejecting black holes from their host galaxies. We exploit recent advances in gravitational waveform modeling to quickly and reliably extract recoils imparted to generic, precessing, black hole binaries. Our procedure uses a numerical-relativity surrogate model to obtain the gravitational waveform given a set of binary parameters, then from this waveform we directly integrate the gravitational-wave linear momentum flux. This entirely bypas…
The radiation of linear momentum imparts a recoil (or "kick") to the center of mass of a merging black hole binary system. Recent numerical relativity calculations have shown that eccentricity can lead to an approximate 25% increase in recoil velocities for equal-mass, spinning binaries with spins lying in the orbital plane ("superkick" configurations) [U Sperhake et al. Phys. Rev. D 101 (2020) 024044 (arXiv:1910.01598)]. Here we investigate the impact of nonzero eccentricity on the kick magnitude and gravitational-wave emission of nonspinning, unequal-mass black hole binaries. We confirm that…
We present results from an extensive study of 88 precessing, equal-mass black-hole binaries with large spins (83 with intrinsic spins of 0.8 and 5 with intrinsic spins of 0.9)and use these data to model new nonlinear contributions to the gravitational recoil imparted to the merged black hole. We find a new effect, the cross kick, that enhances the recoil for partially aligned binaries beyond the hangup kick effect. This has the consequence of increasing the probabilities of recoils larger than 2000 km/s by nearly a factor two, and, consequently, of black holes getting ejected from galaxies, as…
The final black hole left behind after a binary black hole merger can attain a recoil velocity, or a "kick", reaching values up to 5000 km/s. This phenomenon has important implications for gravitational wave astronomy, black hole formation scenarios, testing general relativity, and galaxy evolution. We consider the gravitational wave signal from the binary black hole merger GW200129_065458 (henceforth referred to as GW200129), which has been shown to exhibit strong evidence of orbital precession. Using numerical relativity surrogate models, we constrain the kick velocity of GW200129 to $v_f \s…
Mergers of black hole (BH) and neutron star (NS) binaries are expected to be observed by gravitational wave observatories in the coming years. Until now, LIGO has only set an upper limit on this merger rate. BH-NS binaries are expected to merge in isolation, as their formation is suppressed in star clusters by the mass segregation and the strong heating by BHs in the cluster core. Another viable scenario to BH-NS mergers is in triple systems. In this paper, we carry out a systematic statistical study of the dynamical evolution of triples comprised of an inner BH-NS binary by means of high-prec…
The remnants of binary black hole mergers can be given recoil kick velocities up to $5,000\text{ km s$^{-1}$}$ due to anisotropic emission of gravitational waves. E1821+643 is a recoiling supermassive black hole moving at $\sim 2,100\text{ km s$^{-1}$}$ along the line-of-sight relative to its host galaxy. This suggests a recoil kick of $\sim 2,240\text{ km s$^{-1}$}$. Such a kick is powerful enough to eject E1821+643 from its $M_\text{gal}\sim 2 \times 10^{12}\text{ M}_{\odot}$ host galaxy. In this work, we address the question: what are the likely properties of the progenitor binary that form…
We compare evolutionary predictions of double compact object merger rate densities with initial and forthcoming LIGO/Virgo upper limits. We find that: (i) Due to the cosmological reach of advanced detectors, current conversion methods of population synthesis predictions into merger rate densities are insufficient. (ii) Our optimistic models are a factor of 18 below the initial LIGO/Virgo upper limits for BH-BH systems, indicating that a modest increase in observational sensitivity (by a factor of 2.5) may bring the first detections or first gravitational wave constraints on binary evolution. (…
We present 3D simulations of supernova (SN) explosions of nonrotating stars, triggered by the neutrino-heating mechanism with a suitable choice of the core-neutrino luminosity. Our results show that asymmetric mass ejection caused by hydrodynamic instabilities can accelerate the neutron star (NS) up to recoil velocities of more than 700 km/s by the "gravitational tug-boat mechanism", which is enough to explain most observed pulsar velocities. The associated NS spin periods are about 100 ms to 8 s without any correlation between spin and kick magnitudes or directions. This suggests that faster …
The inspiral and merger of a binary black hole system generally leads to an asymmetric distribution of emitted radiation, and hence a recoil of the remnant black hole directed opposite to the net linear momentum radiated. The recoil velocity is generally largest for comparable mass black holes and particular spin configurations, and approaches zero in the extreme mass ratio limit. It is generally believed that for extreme mass ratios eta<<1, the scaling of the recoil velocity is V {\propto} eta^2, where the proportionality coefficient depends on the spin of the larger hole and the geometry of …
The long wait for the detection of merging black hole -- neutron star (BH--NS) binaries is finally over with the announcement by the LIGO/Virgo/Kagra collaboration of GW200105 and GW200115. Remarkably, the primary of GW200115 has a negative spin projection onto the orbital angular momentum, with about $90\%$ probability. Merging BH--NS binaries are expected to form mainly through the evolution of massive binary stars in the field, since their dynamical formation in dense star clusters is strongly suppressed by mass segregation. In this paper, we carry out a systematic statistical study of the …
Generic black hole binaries radiate gravitational waves anisotropically, imparting a recoil, or kick, velocity to the merger remnant. If a component of the kick along the line of sight is present, gravitational waves emitted during the final orbits and merger will be gradually Doppler shifted as the kick builds up. We develop a simple prescription to capture this effect in existing waveform models, showing that future gravitational wave experiments will be able to perform direct measurements, not only of the black hole kick velocity, but also of its accumulation profile. In particular, the eLI…
We examine the recoil velocity induced by the superposition of the magnetic dipole and quadrupole radiation from a pulsar/magnetar born with rapid rotation. The resultant velocity depends on not the magnitude, but rather the ratio of the two moments and their geometrical configuration. The model does not necessarily lead to high spatial velocity for a magnetar with a strong magnetic field, which is consistent with the recent observational upper bound. The maximum velocity predicted with this model is slightly smaller than that of observed fast-moving pulsars.
Accretion disks around supermassive black holes (SMBH) are promising sites for stellar mass black hole (BH) mergers due to mass segregation and merger acceleration by disk gas torques. Here we show that a GW-kick at BH merger causes ram-pressure stripping of gas within the BH Hill sphere. If $R_{H}\geq H$, the disk height, an off-center UV flare at $a_{\rm BH} \sim 10^{3}r_{g}$ emerges within $t_{\rm UV} \sim \rm{O}(2 {\rm days})(a_{\rm BH}/10^{3}r_{g})(M_{\rm SMBH}/10^{8}M_{\odot})(v_{\rm kick}/10^{2}\rm{km/s})$ post-merger and lasts O$(R_{H}/v_{\rm kick}) \sim \rm{O}(5 t_{\rm UV}$). The flar…
The generation of a large recoil velocity from the inspiral and merger of binary black holes represents one of the most exciting results of numerical-relativity calculations. While many aspects of this process have been investigated and explained, the "antikick", namely the sudden deceleration after the merger, has not yet found a simple explanation. We show that the antikick can be understood in terms of the radiation from a deformed black hole where the anisotropic curvature distribution on the horizon correlates with the direction and intensity of the recoil. Our analysis is focussed on Rob…
Binary black-holes (BHs) and binary neutron-stars (NSs) mergers had been recently detected through gravitational-wave (GW) emission, with the latter followed by post-merger electromagnetic counterparts, appearing seconds up to weeks after the merger. While post-merger electromagnetic counterparts had been anticipated theoretically, very little electromagnetic precursors to GW-sources had been proposed, and non observed yet. Here we show that a fraction of ${\rm a}\,{\rm few\times}10^{-4}-10^{-1}$ of LIGO GW-sources and short-GRBs, could be preceded by supernovae-explosions years up to decades …
Many astrophysical scenarios have been proposed to explain the several black hole (BH) and neutron star binary mergers observed via gravitational waves (GWs) by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration. Contributions from various channels can be statistically disentangled by mass, spin, eccentricity and redshift distributions of merging binaries. In this paper, we investigate the signatures of BH-BH binary mergers induced by a third companion through the Lidov-Kozai mechanism in triple systems. We adopt different prescriptions for the supernovae natal kicks and consider different progenitor metallicities …
Recent numerical relativity simulations have shown that the final black hole produced in a binary merger can recoil with a velocity as large as 5,000 km/s. Because of enhanced gravitational-wave emission in the so-called "hang-up" configurations, this maximum recoil occurs when the black-hole spins are partially aligned with the orbital angular momentum. We revisit our previous statistical analysis of post-Newtonian evolutions of black-hole binaries in the light of these new findings. We demonstrate that despite these new configurations with enhanced recoil velocities, spin alignment during th…
The merger process of a binary black hole system can have a strong impact on a circumbinary disk. In the present work we study the effect of both central mass reduction (due to the energy loss through gravitational waves) and a possible black hole recoil (due to asymmetric emission of gravitational radiation). For the mass reduction case and recoil directed along the disk's angular momentum, oscillations are induced in the disk which then modulate the internal energy and bremsstrahlung luminosities. On the other hand, when the recoil direction has a component orthogonal to the disk's angular m…
We present accurate fits for the remnant properties of generically precessing binary black holes, trained on large banks of numerical-relativity simulations. We use Gaussian process regression to interpolate the remnant mass, spin, and recoil velocity in the 7-dimensional parameter space of precessing black-hole binaries with mass ratios $q\leq2$, and spin magnitudes $χ_1,χ_2\leq0.8$. For precessing systems, our errors in estimating the remnant mass, spin magnitude, and kick magnitude are lower than those of existing fitting formulae by at least an order of magnitude (improvement is also repor…
Mergers of black holes (BHs) and neutron stars (NSs) result in the emission of gravitational waves that can be detected by LIGO. In this paper, we look at 2+2 and 3+1 quadruple-star systems, which are common among massive stars, the progenitors of BHs and NSs. We carry out a detailed population synthesis of quadruple systems using the MSE code, which seamlessly takes into consideration stellar evolution, binary and tertiary interactions, $N$-body dynamics, and secular evolution. We find that, although secular evolution plays a role in compact object (BH and NS) mergers, (70--85) \% (depending …
Nuclear star clusters that surround supermassive black holes (SMBHs) in galactic nuclei are among the densest systems in the Universe, harbouring millions of stars and compact objects (COs). Within a few parsecs from the SMBH, stars can form binaries. In this paper, we model the supernova (SN) process of massive binaries that are born in proximity of the SMBH and that produce CO binaries. These binaries can later merge via emission of gravitational waves as a consequence of the Lidov-Kozai mechanism. We study the dynamical evolution of these systems by means of high-precision $N$-body simulati…
Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo's newly-released GWTC-2 catalog of gravitational-wave detections offers unprecedented information about the spin magnitudes and orientations of merging binary black holes (BBHs). Notably, analysis of the BBH population suggests the presence of binaries whose component spins are significantly misaligned with respect to their orbital angular momenta. Significantly misaligned spins are typically predicted to be at odds with isolated field formation via standard common envelope (CE) evolution, and hence a "smoking gun" signature of dynamical binary formation inside…
Natal kicks are matter of debate and significantly affect the merger rate density of compact objects. Here, we present a new simple formalism for natal kicks of neutron stars (NSs) and black holes (BHs). We describe the magnitude of the kick as $v_{\rm kick}\propto{}f_{\rm H05}\,{}\,{}m_{\rm ej}\,{}\,{}m_{\rm rem}^{-1}$, where $f_{\rm H05}$ is a normalization factor, drawn from a Maxwellian distribution with one-dimensional root-mean-square velocity $σ=265$~km~s$^{-1}$, $m_{\rm ej}$ is the mass of the supernova (SN) ejecta and $m_{\rm rem}$ is the mass of the compact object. This formalism mat…
Using simulations performed with the population synthesis code MOBSE, we compute the merger rate densities and detection rates of compact binary mergers formed in isolation for second- and third-generation gravitational-wave detectors. We estimate how rates are affected by uncertainties on key stellar-physics parameters, namely common envelope evolution and natal kicks. We estimate how future upgrades will increase the size of the available catalog of merger events, and we discuss features of the merger rate density that will become accessible with third-generation detectors.
Recoil-regulated extreme mass-ratio inspirals in AGN disks
University of Florida（佛罗里达大学）；Institute of Science and Technology Austria（奥地利科学技术研究院）；Columbia University（哥伦比亚大学）；Shanghai Astronomical Observatory（上海天文台）
通过半解析模型和蒙特卡洛模拟，发现双星形成、层级并合和反冲踢从根本上调控了 AGN 盘中极端质量比旋进的形成，预测 LISA 探测率约 1-30 yr⁻¹，且可探测事件优先出现在年轻 AGN 中。
We explore the newly discovered "hangup-kick" effect, which greatly amplifies the recoil for configuration with partial spin- orbital-angular momentum alignment, by studying a set of 48 new simulations of equal-mass, spinning black-hole binaries. We propose a phenomenological model for the recoil that takes this new effect into account and then use this model, in conjunction with statistical distributions for the spin magnitude and orientations, based on accretion simulations, to find the probabilities for observing recoils of several thousand km/s. In addition, we provide initial parameters, …
The coalescence of supermassive black hole binaries occurs via the emission of gravitational waves, that can impart a substantial recoil to the merged black hole. We consider the energy dissipation, that results if the recoiling black hole is surrounded by a thin circumbinary disc. Our results differ significantly from those of previous investigations. We show analytically that the dominant source of energy is often potential energy, released as gas in the outer disc attempts to circularize at smaller radii. Thus, dimensional estimates, that include only the kinetic energy gained by the disc g…
Binary black holes (BBHs) are one of the endpoints of isolated binary evolution, and their mergers a leading channel for gravitational wave events. Here, using the evolutionary code \textsc{StarTrack}, we study the statistical properties of the BBH population from isolated binary evolution for a range of progenitor star metallicities and BH natal kicks. We compute the mass function and the distribution of the primary BH spin $a$ as a result of mass accretion during the binary evolution, and find that this is not an efficient process to spin up BHs, producing an increase by at most $a\sim$~0.2-…
Using three-dimensional (3D) simulations of neutrino-powered supernova explosions we show that the hydrodynamical kick scenario proposed by Scheck et al. on the basis of two-dimensional (2D) models can yield large neutron star (NS) recoil velocities also in 3D. Although the shock stays relatively spherical, standing accretion-shock and convective instabilities lead to a globally asymmetric mass and energy distribution in the postshock layer. An anisotropic momentum distribution of the ejecta is built up only after the explosion sets in. Total momentum conservation implies the acceleration of t…
A population of more than 50 binary black hole mergers has now been observed by the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave observatories. While neutron stars are known to have large velocities associated with impulsive kicks imparted to them at birth in supernovae, whether black holes receive similar kicks, and of what magnitude, remains an open question. Recently, Callister et al. (2021) analysed the binary black hole population under the hypothesis that they were all formed through isolated binary evolution and claimed that large black hole kicks (greater than 260 km/s at 99% confidence) were req…
The recent detections of the binary black hole mergers GW150914 and GW151226 have inaugurated the field of gravitational-wave astronomy. For the two main formation channels that have been proposed for these sources, isolated binary evolution in galactic fields and dynamical formation in dense star clusters, the predicted masses and merger rates overlap significantly, complicating any astrophysical claims that rely on measured masses alone. Here, we examine the distribution of spin- orbit misalignments expected for binaries from the field and from dense star clusters. Under standard assumptions…
Most massive stars, if not all, are in binary configuration or higher multiples. These massive stars undergo supernova explosions and end their lives as either black holes or neutron stars. Recent observations have suggested that neutron stars and perhaps even black holes receive large velocity kicks at birth. Such natal kicks and the sudden mass loss can significantly alter the orbital configuration of the system. Here we derive general analytical expressions that describe the effects of natal kicks in binaries on hierarchical triple systems. We explore several proof-of-concept applications s…
We explore the masses, merger rates, eccentricities, and spins for field binary black holes driven to merger by a third companion through the Lidov-Kozai mechanism. Using a population synthesis approach, we model the creation of stellar-mass black hole triples across a range of different initial conditions and stellar metallicities. We find that the production of triple-mediated mergers is enhanced at low metallicities by a factor of ~100 due to the lower black hole natal kicks and reduced stellar mass loss. These triples naturally yield heavy binary black holes with near-zero effective spins,…
I present a set of long-term, direct, relativistic many-body computations of model dense stellar clusters with up-to-date stellar-evolutionary, supernova (SN), and remnant natal-kick models, including pair instability and pulsation pair instability supernova (PSN and PPSN), using an updated version of NBODY7 N-body simulation program. The N-body model also includes stellar evolution-based natal spins of BHs and treatments of binary black hole (BBH) mergers based on numerical relativity. These, for the first time in a direct N-body simulation, allow for second-generation BBH mergers. The set of…
Supermassive black hole binaries (SMBHBs) are the products of frequent galaxy mergers. The coalescence of the SMBHBs is a distinct source of gravitational wave (GW) radiation. The detections of the strong GW radiation and their possible electromagnetic counterparts are essential. Numerical relativity suggests that the post-merger supermassive black hole (SMBH) gets a kick velocity up to 4000 km/s due to the anisotropic GW radiations. Here we investigate the dynamical co-evolution and interaction of the recoiling SMBHs and their galactic stellar environments with one million direct N-body simul…
The cosmic merger rate density of black hole binaries (BHBs) can give us an essential clue to constraining the formation channels of BHBs, in light of current and forthcoming gravitational wave detections. Following a Monte Carlo approach, we couple new population-synthesis models of BHBs with the Illustris cosmological simulation, to study the cosmic history of BHB mergers. We explore six population-synthesis models, varying the prescriptions for supernovae, common envelope, and natal kicks. In most considered models, the cosmic BHB merger rate follows the same trend as the cosmic star format…
We compare the current LIGO/Virgo upper limits on double compact object volumetric merger rates with our theoretical predictions. Our optimistic models are a factor of 3 below the existing upper limits for massive BH-BH systems with total mass 50-70 Msun, suggesting that a small increase in observational sensitivity may bring the first detections. The LIGO/Virgo gravitational wave observatories are currently being upgraded to advanced design sensitivity. If a sizeable population of BH-BH binaries is detected, the maximum total binary mass of this population will discriminate between two genera…
California Institute of Technology（加州理工学院）；University of California, Los Angeles（加州大学洛杉矶分校）；Mani L. Bhaumik Institute for Theoretical Physics（马尼·L·巴乌米克理论物理研究所）
We revisit double neutron star (DNS) formation in the classical binary evolution scenario in light of the recent LIGO/Virgo DNS detection (GW170817). The observationally estimated Galactic DNS merger rate of $R_{\rm MW}=21^{+28}_{-14}$ Myr$^{-1}$, based on 3 Galactic DNS systems, fully supports our standard input physics model with $R_{\rm MW} =24$ Myr$^{-1}$. This estimate for the Galaxy translates in a non-trivial way (due to cosmological evolution of progenitor stars in chemically evolving Universe) into a local ($z\approx0$) DNS merger rate density of $R_{\rm local}=48$ Gpc$^{-3}$yr$^{-1}$…
We show the results of two dimensional general relativistic inviscid and isothermal hydrodynamical simulations comparing the behavior of co-rotating (with respect to the black hole rotation) and counter-rotating circumbinary quasi-Keplerian discs in the post merger phase of a supermassive binary black hole system. While confirming the spiral shock generation within the disc due to the combined effects of mass loss and recoil velocity of the black hole, we find that the maximum luminosity of counter-rotating discs is a factor ~(2-12) higher than in the co-rotating case, depending on the spin of…
Scalar fields pervade theoretical physics and are a fundamental ingredient to solve the dark matter problem, to realize the Peccei-Quinn mechanism in QCD or the string-axiverse scenario. They are also a useful proxy for more complex matter interactions, such as accretion disks or matter in extreme conditions. Here, we study the collision between scalar "clouds" and rotating black holes. For the first time we are able to compare analytic estimates and strong field, nonlinear numerical calculations for this problem. As the black hole pierces through the cloud it accretes according to the Bondi-H…
