Hybrid method for understanding black-hole mergers: Inspiralling case

David A. Nichols and Yanbei Chen
Phys. Rev. D 85, 044035 – Published 13 February 2012

Abstract

We adapt a method of matching post-Newtonian and black-hole-perturbation theories on a timelike surface (which proved useful for understanding head-on black-hole-binary collisions) to treat equal-mass, inspiralling black-hole binaries. We first introduce a radiation-reaction potential into this method, and we show that it leads to a self-consistent set of equations that describe the simultaneous evolution of the waveform and of the timelike matching surface. This allows us to produce a full inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform of the l=2, m=±2 modes of the gravitational waveform of an equal-mass black-hole-binary inspiral. These modes match those of numerical-relativity simulations well in phase, though less well in amplitude for the inspiral. As a second application of this method, we study a merger of black holes with spins antialigned in the orbital plane (the superkick configuration). During the ringdown of the superkick, the phases of the mass- and current-quadrupole radiation become locked together, because they evolve at the same quasinormal-mode frequencies. We argue that this locking begins during the merger, and we show that if the spins of the black holes evolve via geodetic precession in the perturbed black-hole spacetime of our model, then the spins precess at the orbital frequency during the merger. In turn, this gives rise to the correct behavior of the radiation, and produces a kick similar to that observed in numerical simulations.

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  • Received 31 August 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.85.044035

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

David A. Nichols* and Yanbei Chen

  • Theoretical Astrophysics 350-17, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA

  • *davidn@tapir.caltech.edu
  • yanbei@tapir.caltech.edu

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Issue

Vol. 85, Iss. 4 — 15 February 2012

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