Modelling star formation and gas dynamics in galactic nuclei: the role of non-equilibrium chemistry

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

The few-body problem is one of the oldest problems in astronomy and classical mechanics. Yet, its simplest instance, the three-body problem, has no general analytical solution and only a partial statistical solution has been achieved so far. With the birth of gravitational wave astronomy and the rise in exoplanet discoveries, the three-body problem is becoming central to modern astrophysics. We have studied how three-body encounters can perturb compact binaries in orbit around supermassive black holes, leading to an increase of gravitational wave merger rates in galactic nuclei. Binaries coalescing via this mechanism can have a unique gravitational wave emission pattern that will be identifiable by LISA and DECIGO. Revealing the details of this mechanism is of paramount importance in order to understand the origin of observed gravitational wave events. In addition, we have been exploring the role of the secular and non-secular few-body interactions in the migration of giant planets hosting exomoons. The moons can regulate the migration of giant planets in binaries and thus explain the presence (or lack thereof) of exomoons around short-period planets.