Amplification of superkicks in black-hole binaries through orbital eccentricity
Ulrich Sperhake, Roxana Roşca-Mead, Davide Gerosa, Emanuele Berti
Abstract
We present new numerical-relativity simulations of eccentric merging black holes with initially antiparallel spins lying in the orbital plane (the so-called superkick configuration). Binary eccentricity boosts the recoil of the merger remnant by up to 25%. The increase in the energy flux is much more modest, and therefore this kick enhancement is mainly due to asymmetry in the binary dynamics. Our findings might have important consequences for the retention of stellar-mass black holes in star clusters and supermassive black holes in galactic hosts.
Topics & Concepts
PhysicsBinary black holeAstrophysicsSupermassive black holeSpin-flipBlack hole (networking)Intermediate-mass black holeSpinsNumerical relativityStellar black holeAstronomyOrbital planeEccentricity (behavior)Gravitational waveAccretion (finance)GalaxyCondensed matter physicsLawPolitical scienceComputer scienceRouting protocolComputer networkRouting (electronic design automation)Link-state routing protocolPulsars and Gravitational Waves ResearchAstrophysical Phenomena and ObservationsGamma-ray bursts and supernovae