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arXiv · 0908.4518

Tidal interaction of a small black hole in the field of a large Kerr black hole

Simon Comeau·Eric Poisson
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Abstract

The rates at which the mass and angular momentum of a small black hole change as a result of a tidal interaction with a much larger black hole are calculated to leading order in the small mass ratio. The small black hole is either rotating or nonrotating, and it moves on a circular orbit in the equatorial plane of the large Kerr black hole. The orbits are fully relativistic, and the rates are computed to all orders in the orbital velocity V < V_{isco}, which is limited only by the size of the innermost stable circular orbit. We show that as V \to V_{isco}, the rates take on a limiting value that depends only on V_{isco} and not on the spin parameter of the large black hole.

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Simon Comeau, Eric Poisson. 2009-08-31. Tidal interaction of a small black hole in the field of a large Kerr black hole. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.80.087501

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