Measuring eccentricity in binary black-hole initial data

Jason D. Grigsby and Gregory B. Cook
Phys. Rev. D 77, 044011 – Published 8 February 2008

Abstract

Initial data for evolving black-hole binaries can be constructed via many techniques, and can represent a wide range of physical scenarios. However, because of the way that different schemes parametrize the physical aspects of a configuration, it is not always clear what a given set of initial data actually represents. This is especially important for quasiequilibrium data constructed using the conformal thin-sandwich approach. Most initial-data studies have focused on identifying data sets that represent binaries in quasicircular orbits. In this paper, we consider initial-data sets representing equal-mass black-hole binaries in eccentric orbits. We will show that effective-potential techniques can be used to calibrate initial data for black-hole binaries in eccentric orbits. We will also examine several different approaches, including post-Newtonian diagnostics, for measuring the eccentricity of an orbit. Finally, we propose the use of the “Komar-mass difference” as a useful, invariant means of parametrizing the eccentricity of relativistic orbits.

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  • Received 28 June 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.77.044011

©2008 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Jason D. Grigsby* and Gregory B. Cook

  • Department of Physics, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27109, USA

  • *grigjd3@wfu.edu
  • cookgb@wfu.edu

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Issue

Vol. 77, Iss. 4 — 15 February 2008

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