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arXiv · 2505.15901

Strong-gravity precession resonances for binary systems orbiting a Schwarzschild black hole

Marta Cocco·Gianluca Grignani·Troels Harmark·Marta Orselli·Daniele Pica
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Abstract

Binary systems of compact objects in close orbit around a supermassive black hole (SMBH) may form in galactic nuclei, providing a unique environment to probe strong-gravity tidal effects on the binary's dynamics. In this work, we investigate precession resonances arising between the periastron precession frequency of a binary system and its orbital frequencies around the SMBH. By modeling the SMBH as a Schwarzschild black hole, we find that relativistic effects in the tidal field give rise to a significantly richer resonance spectrum compared to the Newtonian case. This result is supported by both perturbative and numerical analyses of the quadrupolar tidal interaction in the strong-gravity regime. Our results reveal new signatures for strong-gravity effects in such triple systems, with potential implications for gravitational-wave astronomy.

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Marta Cocco, Gianluca Grignani, Troels Harmark, Marta Orselli, Daniele Pica. 2025-05-21. Strong-gravity precession resonances for binary systems orbiting a Schwarzschild black hole. https://doi.org/10.1103/l542-s32g

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