Kicking gravitational wave detectors with recoiling black holes

Carlos O. Lousto and James Healy
Phys. Rev. D 100, 104039 – Published 19 November 2019

Abstract

Binary black holes (BBH) emit gravitational radiation with net linear momentum leading to a retreat of the final remnant black hole that can reach up to 5,000km/s. Full numerical relativity simulations are the only tool to accurately compute these recoils since they are largely produced when the black hole horizons are about to merge and they are strongly dependent on their spin orientations at that moment. We present eight new numerical simulations of BBH in the hangup-kick configuration family, leading to the maximum recoil. Black holes are equal mass and near maximally spinning (|S1,2|/m1,22=0.97). Depending on their phase at merger, this family leads to ±4,700km/s and all intermediate values of the recoil along the orbital angular momentum of the binary system. We introduce a new invariant method to evaluate the recoil dependence on the merger phase via the waveform peak amplitude used as a reference phase angle and compare it with previous definitions. We also compute the mismatch between these hangup-kick waveforms to infer their observable differentiability by gravitational wave detectors, such as advanced LIGO, finding currently reachable signal-to-noise ratios, hence allowing for the identification of highly recoiling black holes having otherwise essentially the same binary parameters.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
1 More
  • Received 12 August 2019

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.100.104039

© 2019 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Gravitation, Cosmology & Astrophysics

Authors & Affiliations

Carlos O. Lousto and James Healy

  • Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation, School of Mathematical Sciences, Rochester Institute of Technology, 85 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, New York 14623, USA

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 100, Iss. 10 — 15 November 2019

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
CHORUS

Article Available via CHORUS

Download Accepted Manuscript
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review D

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×