Post-Newtonian Dynamics in Dense Star Clusters: Highly Eccentric, Highly Spinning, and Repeated Binary Black Hole Mergers

Carl L. Rodriguez, Pau Amaro-Seoane, Sourav Chatterjee, and Frederic A. Rasio
Phys. Rev. Lett. 120, 151101 – Published 10 April 2018
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Abstract

We present models of realistic globular clusters with post-Newtonian dynamics for black holes. By modeling the relativistic accelerations and gravitational-wave emission in isolated binaries and during three- and four-body encounters, we find that nearly half of all binary black hole mergers occur inside the cluster, with about 10% of those mergers entering the LIGO/Virgo band with eccentricities greater than 0.1. In-cluster mergers lead to the birth of a second generation of black holes with larger masses and high spins, which, depending on the black hole natal spins, can sometimes be retained in the cluster and merge again. As a result, globular clusters can produce merging binaries with detectable spins regardless of the birth spins of black holes formed from massive stars. These second-generation black holes would also populate any upper mass gap created by pair-instability supernovae.

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  • Received 12 December 2017
  • Revised 14 February 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.151101

© 2018 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Gravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics

Authors & Affiliations

Carl L. Rodriguez1, Pau Amaro-Seoane2, Sourav Chatterjee3, and Frederic A. Rasio3

  • 1Massachusetts Institute of Technology-Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, 37-664H, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
  • 2Institute of Space Sciences (Institut de Ciencies de L’Espai, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas) & Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya (IEEC) at Campus Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Carrer de Can Magrans s/n 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Applied Mathematics, Academy of Mathematics and Systems Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing 100871, China; and Zentrum für Astronomie und Astrophysik, Technischen Universität Berlin, Hardenbergstraße 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
  • 3Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA

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Issue

Vol. 120, Iss. 15 — 13 April 2018

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