Final spins from the merger of precessing binary black holes

Michael Kesden, Ulrich Sperhake, and Emanuele Berti
Phys. Rev. D 81, 084054 – Published 29 April 2010

Abstract

The inspiral of binary black holes is governed by gravitational radiation reaction at binary separations r1000M, yet it is too computationally expensive to begin numerical-relativity simulations with initial separations r10M. Fortunately, binary evolution between these separations is well described by post-Newtonian equations of motion. We examine how this post-Newtonian evolution affects the distribution of spin orientations at separations r10M where numerical-relativity simulations typically begin. Although isotropic spin distributions at r1000M remain isotropic at r10M, distributions that are initially partially aligned with the orbital angular momentum can be significantly distorted during the post-Newtonian inspiral. Spin precession tends to align (antialign) the binary black hole spins with each other if the spin of the more massive black hole is initially partially aligned (antialigned) with the orbital angular momentum, thus increasing (decreasing) the average final spin. Spin precession is stronger for comparable-mass binaries and could produce significant spin alignment before merger for both supermassive and stellar-mass black hole binaries. We also point out that precession induces an intrinsic accuracy limitation (0.03 in the dimensionless spin magnitude, 20° in the direction) in predicting the final spin resulting from the merger of widely separated binaries.

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  • Received 25 February 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.81.084054

©2010 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Michael Kesden*

  • California Institute of Technology, MC 350-17, 1216 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA

Ulrich Sperhake and Emanuele Berti

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi 38677-1848, USA, and California Institute of Technology, MC 350-17, 1216 E. California Boulevard, Pasadena, California 91125, USA

  • *kesden@tapir.caltech.edu
  • sperhake@tapir.caltech.edu
  • berti@phy.olemiss.edu

See Also

Effects of post-Newtonian spin alignment on the distribution of black-hole recoils

Emanuele Berti, Michael Kesden, and Ulrich Sperhake
Phys. Rev. D 85, 124049 (2012)

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Vol. 81, Iss. 8 — 15 April 2010

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