Spinning, Eccentric Black Hole Pairs: Black Hole Scattering and Binary Formation

AST-0908365 Levin在稠密区域，恒星质量的黑洞可以潮汐地捕获另一个质量相当的黑洞成为一个高度偏心的双星。 最近对致密星系核中恒星质量双星合并率的估计，引发了人们对一类高度偏心黑洞对的兴趣。 这个项目将包括在相对论框架中的自旋和轨道进动的影响，以分析来自这个有趣的源的散射，合并和引力波。 该项目的另一部分将考虑“超级合并”，双事件候选者，这是黑洞双星，在形成和合并时在地面观测站的带宽内发射引力波，然后落入银河系中心的超大质量黑洞，在天基观测站的带宽内发射引力波。 因此，本文的工作将（1）计算自旋黑洞的相对论散射和中心有超大质量黑洞的星系核的探测率，（2）根据相对论自旋轨道的分布计算引力波谱，（3）计算引力波的相对论散射和中心有超大质量黑洞的星系核的探测率。以及（3）计算“超级合并”的事件率，潮汐捕获的黑洞对，分散到超巴纳德学院（Barnard College）是位于纽约市的一所女子学院，隶属于哥伦比亚大学，每年都会有一名巴纳德学院的本科生在这个研究小组实习。 该计划包括开发一个可公开访问的黑洞轨道交互式模拟器，为更广泛的社区提供研究工具。 这种直接的科学研究融入本科教育促进巴纳德的承诺，以增加妇女在科学的存在。 一个补充方面涉及纽约市高中的外联活动。

AST-0908365LevinIn dense regions, stellar mass black holes can tidally capture another comparable mass black hole into a highly eccentric binary. Recent estimates of the merger rates of stellar mass binaries in dense galactic nuclei have sparked interest in a class of such highly eccentric black hole pairs. This project will include the effects of spin and orbital precession in a relativistic framework, to analyze the scattering, mergers, and gravitational waves from this interesting source. Another part of this project will consider "supermergers", double-event candidates, which are black hole binaries that emit a burst of gravitational waves on formation and merger, in the bandwidth of ground-based observatories, and then fall into the super-massive black hole at the galactic center, to emit gravitational waves in the bandwidth of space-based observatories. Thus, this work will (1) calculate relativistic scattering of spinning black holes and detection rates in galactic nuclei with a central super-massive black hole; (2) compute the gravitational wave spectra from the distribution of relativistic, spinning orbits; and (3) compute event rates for "supermergers", tidally captured black hole pairs that scatter toward the super-massive black hole at the galactic center within an observable timeframe.Barnard College is a women's college in New York City affiliated with Columbia University, and each year a Barnard undergraduate will intern with this research group. The plan includes development of a publicly accessible interactive simulator of black hole orbits, offering a research tool to the wider community. Such integration of direct scientific research into undergraduate education promotes Barnard's commitment to increasing the presence of women in the sciences. A complementary aspect involves outreach in NYC high schools.