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Gravitational Waves from Binary Black Hole Mergers inside Stars
Joseph M Fedrow1, Christian D Ott1,2, Ulrich Sperhake2,3
1Center for Gravitational Physics and International Research Unit of Advanced Future Studies, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, 606-8317 Kyoto, Japan.
Physical Review Letters
|December 9, 2017
Summary
High-density gas significantly alters binary black hole (BBH) mergers and gravitational waves (GWs). LIGO observations exclude BBH formation in dense stellar gas, ruling out the fragmentation scenario for GW150914.
Area of Science:
- Astrophysics
- Gravitational Wave Astronomy
- Numerical Relativity
Background:
- Binary black hole (BBH) mergers produce gravitational waves (GWs).
- The stellar core fragmentation scenario proposes BBH formation within dense gas, potentially enabling electromagnetic counterparts.
- Understanding the influence of dense gas on BBH coalescence is crucial for interpreting GW events and formation pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of stellar density gas on the dynamics and gravitational wave signals of binary black hole mergers.
- To test the viability of the stellar core fragmentation scenario for BBH formation, specifically for the GW150914 event.
Main Methods:
- Controlled numerical experiments using full numerical relativity coupled with general-relativistic hydrodynamics.
- Simulations of a 30+30 solar mass BBH within gas at realistic stellar densities.
- Analysis of changes in coalescence dynamics and GW signals due to dynamical friction.
Main Results:
- Dynamical friction from gas at densities above 10^6-10^7 g/cm^3 distinctly alters BBH coalescence and GW signals.
- LIGO observations of GW150914 constrain BBH coalescence to occur in gas with densities below approximately 10^7 g/cm^3.
- Typical densities in collapsing massive star cores exceed this limit.
Conclusions:
- The stellar core fragmentation scenario is excluded as the formation channel for the binary black hole merger GW150914.
- Dense stellar environments significantly impact BBH merger dynamics and GW emission, providing observational constraints on formation mechanisms.
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