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arXiv · 1106.3278

Periastron Advance in Black-Hole Binaries

Alexandre Le Tiec·Abdul H. Mroué·Leor Barack·Alessandra Buonanno·Harald P. Pfeiffer·Norichika Sago·Andrea Taracchini
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Abstract

The general relativistic (Mercury-type) periastron advance is calculated here for the first time with exquisite precision in full general relativity. We use accurate numerical relativity simulations of spinless black hole binaries with mass ratios 1/8 < m1/m2 < 1 and compare with the predictions of several analytic approximation schemes. We find the effective-one-body model to be remarkably accurate, and, surprisingly, so also the predictions of self-force theory [replacing m1/m2 --> m1m2/(m1+m2)^2]. Our results can inform a universal analytic model of the two-body dynamics, crucial for ongoing and future gravitational-wave searches.

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Alexandre Le Tiec, Abdul H. Mroué, Leor Barack, Alessandra Buonanno, Harald P. Pfeiffer, Norichika Sago, Andrea Taracchini. 2011-09-27. Periastron Advance in Black-Hole Binaries. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.107.141101

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