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Zoom-whirl orbits in black hole binaries
James Healy1, Janna Levin, Deirdre Shoemaker
1Center for Gravitational Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|November 13, 2009
Summary
Zoom-whirl behavior in merging black hole binaries is not as rare as previously thought. Numerical relativity shows larger mass ratios and spins increase zoom-whirl occurrences, impacting gravitational wave signals.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- General Relativity
- Gravitational Wave Astronomy
Background:
- Zoom-whirl behavior in binary systems was considered rare due to rapid angular momentum loss from gravitational radiation.
- Previous models suggested only highly tuned orbits would exhibit this phenomenon before circularization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the occurrence of zoom-whirl behavior in binary mergers using numerical relativity.
- To determine the influence of mass ratio and spin on the prevalence of zoom-whirl phenomena.
Main Methods:
- Full numerical relativity simulations were employed to model binary black hole mergers.
- Analysis focused on capturing orbital dynamics and the effects of gravitational wave dissipation.
Main Results:
- Zoom-whirl behavior was observed even with significant dissipation.
- Increased mass ratios and higher spins lead to more pronounced and frequent zoom-whirl events.
- These eccentric orbits can merge during a whirl phase, prior to complete circularization.
Conclusions:
- Zoom-whirl behavior is more common than previously assumed, particularly in systems with unequal masses and high spins.
- The modulation of gravitational waveforms by zoom-whirl harmonics provides observable signatures.
- Understanding these dynamics is crucial for interpreting gravitational wave signals from binary mergers.
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