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arXiv · 0811.3501

Merger of Massive Black Holes using N-Body Simulations with Post-Newtonian Corrections

Miguel Preto·Ingo Berentzen·Peter Berczik·David Merritt·Rainer Spurzem
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Abstract

We present preliminary results from self-consistent, high resolution direct {\it N}-body simulations of massive black hole binaries in mergers of galactic nuclei. The dynamics of the black hole binary includes the full Post-Newtonian corrections (up to 2.5PN) to its equations of motion. We show that massive black holes starting at separations of 100 pc can evolve down to gravitational-wave-induced coalescence in less than a Hubble time. The binaries, in our models, often form with very high eccentricity and, as a result, reach separations of 50 Schwarzschild radius with eccentricities which are clearly distinct from zero -- even though gravitational wave emission damps the eccentricity during the inspiral. These deviations from exact circular orbits, at such small separations, may have important consequences for LISA data analysis.

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Miguel Preto, Ingo Berentzen, Peter Berczik, David Merritt, Rainer Spurzem. 2008-11-21. Merger of Massive Black Holes using N-Body Simulations with Post-Newtonian Corrections. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/154/1/012049

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