arXiv subjects

Chris Kavanagh

Publications and source records attributed to Chris Kavanagh.

29 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2020

Gravitational spin-orbit and aligned spin$_1$-spin$_2$ couplings through third-subleading post-Newtonian orders

The study of scattering encounters continues to provide new insights into the general relativistic two-body problem. The local-in-time conservative dynamics of an aligned-spin binary, for both unbound and bound orbits, is fully encoded in the gauge-invariant scattering-angle function, which is most naturally expressed in a post-Minkowskian (PM) expansion, and which exhibits a remarkably simple dependence on the masses of the two bodies (in terms of appropriate geometric variables). This dependence links the PM and small-mass-ratio approximations, allowing gravitational self-force results to determine new post-Newtonian (PN) information to all orders in the mass ratio. In this paper, we exploit this interplay between relativistic scattering and self-force theory to obtain the third-subleading (4.5PN) spin-orbit dynamics for generic spins, and the third-subleading (5PN) spin$_1$-spin$_2$ dynamics for aligned spins. We further implement these novel PN results in an effective-one-body framework, and demonstrate the improvement in accuracy by comparing against numerical-relativity simulations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Gravitational spin-orbit coupling through third-subleading post-Newtonian order: from first-order self-force to arbitrary mass ratios

Exploiting simple yet remarkable properties of relativistic gravitational scattering, we use first-order self-force (linear-in-mass-ratio) results to obtain arbitrary-mass-ratio results for the complete third-subleading post-Newtonian (4.5PN) corrections to the spin-orbit sector of spinning-binary conservative dynamics, for generic (bound or unbound) orbits and spin orientations. We thereby improve important ingredients of models of gravitational waves from spinning binaries, and we demonstrate the improvement in accuracy by comparing against aligned-spin numerical simulations of binary black holes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

Dissipation in extreme-mass ratio binaries with a spinning secondary

We present the gravitational-wave flux balance law in an extreme mass-ratio binary with a spinning secondary. This law relates the flux of energy (angular momentum) radiated to null infinity and through the event horizon to the local change in the secondary's orbital energy (angular momentum) for generic (non-resonant) bound orbits in Kerr spacetime. As an explicit example we compute these quantities for a spin-aligned body moving on a circular orbit around a Schwarzschild black hole. We perform this calculation both analytically, via a high-order post-Newtonian expansion, and numerically in two different gauges. Using these results we demonstrate explicitly that our new balance law holds.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2019

Probing the Nature of Black Holes: Deep in the mHz Gravitational-Wave Sky

Black holes are unique among astrophysical sources: they are the simplest macroscopic objects in the Universe, and they are extraordinary in terms of their ability to convert energy into electromagnetic and gravitational radiation. Our capacity to probe their nature is limited by the sensitivity of our detectors. The LIGO/Virgo interferometers are the gravitational-wave equivalent of Galileo's telescope. The first few detections represent the beginning of a long journey of exploration. At the current pace of technological progress, it is reasonable to expect that the gravitational-wave detectors available in the 2035-2050s will be formidable tools to explore these fascinating objects in the cosmos, and space-based detectors with peak sensitivities in the mHz band represent one class of such tools. These detectors have a staggering discovery potential, and they will address fundamental open questions in physics and astronomy. Are astrophysical black holes adequately described by general relativity? Do we have empirical evidence for event horizons? Can black holes provide a glimpse into quantum gravity, or reveal a classical breakdown of Einstein's gravity? How and when did black holes form, and how do they grow? Are there new long-range interactions or fields in our universe, potentially related to dark matter and dark energy or a more fundamental description of gravitation? Precision tests of black hole spacetimes with mHz-band gravitational-wave detectors will probe general relativity and fundamental physics in previously inaccessible regimes, and allow us to address some of these fundamental issues in our current understanding of nature.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Factorization and resummation: A new paradigm to improve gravitational wave amplitudes. III: the spinning test-body terms

We present new calculations of the energy flux of a spinning test-body on circular orbits around a Schwarzschild black hole at linear order in the particle spin. We compute the multipolar fluxes up to $\ell=m=6$ using two independent numerical solvers of theTeukolsky equation, one in the time domain and the other in the frequency domain. After linearization in the spin of the particle, we obtain an excellent agreement ($\sim 10^{-5}$) between the two numerical results.The calculation of the multipolar fluxes is also performed analytically (up to $\ell=7$) using the post-Newtonian (PN) expansion of the Teukolsky equation solution; each mode is obtained at 5.5PN order beyond the corresponding leading-order contribution. From the analytical fluxes we obtain the PN-expanded analytical waveform amplitudes. These quantities are then resummed using new procedures either based on the factorization of the orbital contribution (and resumming it independently from the spin-dependent factor) or on the factorization of the tail contribution solely for odd-parity multipoles. We compare these prescriptions and the resummation procedure proposed in Pan et al. [Phys. Rev. D 83 (2011) 064003] to the numerical data. We find that the new procedures significantly improve over the existing one that, notably, is inconsistent with the numerical data for $\ell+m=\text{odd}$ multipoles already at low orbital frequencies. Our study suggests that the approach to waveform resummation used in current effective-one-body-based waveform models should be modified to improve its robustness and accuracy all over the binary parameter space.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Gravitational self-force corrections to gyroscope precession along circular orbits in the Kerr spacetime

We generalize to Kerr spacetime previous gravitational self-force results on gyroscope precession along circular orbits in the Schwarzschild spacetime. In particular we present high order post- Newtonian expansions for the gauge invariant precession function along circular geodesics valid for arbitrary Kerr spin parameter and show agreement between these results and those derived from the full post-Newtonian conservative dynamics. Finally we present strong field numerical data for a range of the Kerr spin parameter, showing agreement with the GSF-PN results, and the expected lightring divergent behaviour. These results provide useful testing benchmarks for self- force calculations in Kerr spacetime, and provide an avenue for translating self-force data into the spin-spin coupling in effective-one-body models.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2018

Detweiler's redshift invariant for spinning particles along circular orbits on a Schwarzschild background

We study the metric perturbations induced by a classical spinning particle moving along a circular orbit on a Schwarzschild background, limiting the analysis to effects which are first order in spin. The particle is assumed to move on the equatorial plane and has its spin aligned with the $z$-axis. The metric perturbations are obtained by using two different approaches, i.e., by working in two different gauges: the Regge-Wheeler gauge (using the Regge-Wheeler-Zerilli formalism) and a radiation gauge (using the Teukolsky formalism). We then compute the linear-in-spin contribution to the first-order self-force contribution to Detweiler's redshift invariant up to the 8.5 post-Newtonian order. We check that our result is the same in both gauges, as appropriate for a gauge-invariant quantity, and agrees with the currently known 3.5 post-Newtonian results.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Spin-orbit precession along eccentric orbits for extreme mass ratio black hole binaries and its effective-one-body transcription

In this work we present an analytical gravitational self-force calculation of the spin-orbit precession along an eccentric orbit around a Schwarzschild black hole, following closely the recent prescription of Akcay, Dempsey, and Dolan. We then transcribe this quantity within the Effective-One-Body (EOB) formalism, thereby determining several new, linear-in-mass-ratio, contributions in the post-Newtonian expansion of the spin-orbit couplings entering the EOB Hamiltonian. Namely, we determine the second gyro-gravitomagnetic ratio $g_{S_*}(r,p_r,p_ϕ)$ up to order $p_r^2/r^4$ included.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

High-order tail in Kerr spacetime

We investigate the late-time tail of the retarded Green function for the dynamics of a linear field perturbation of Kerr spacetime. We develop an analytical formalism for obtaining the late-time tail up to arbitrary order for general integer spin of the field. We then apply this formalism to obtain the details of the first five orders in the late-time tail of the Green function for the case of a scalar field: to leading order we recover the known power law tail $t^{-2\ell-3}$, and at third order we obtain a logarithmic correction, $t^{-2\ell-5}\ln t$, where $\ell$ is the field multipole.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Analytic self-force calculations in the post-Newtonian regime: eccentric orbits on a Schwarzschild background

We present a method for solving the first-order field equations in a post-Newtonian (PN) expansion. Our calculations generalize work of Bini and Damour and subsequently Kavanagh et al., to consider eccentric orbits on a Schwarzschild background. We derive expressions for the retarded metric perturbation at the location of the particle for all $\ell$-modes. We find that, despite first appearances, the Regge-Wheeler gauge metric perturbation is $C^0$ at the particle for all $\ell$. As a first use of our solutions, we compute the gauge-invariant quantity $\langle U \rangle$ through 4PN while simultaneously expanding in eccentricity through $e^{10}$. By anticipating the $e\to 1$ singular behavior at each PN order, we greatly improve the accuracy of our results for large $e$. We use $\langle U \rangle$ to find 4PN contributions to the effective one body potential $\hat Q$ through $e^{10}$ and at linear order in the mass-ratio.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2015

Octupolar invariants for compact binaries on quasi-circular orbits

We extend the gravitational self-force methodology to identify and compute new $O(μ)$ tidal invariants for a compact body of mass $μ$ on a quasi-circular orbit about a black hole of mass $M \gg μ$. In the octupolar sector we find seven new degrees of freedom, made up of 3+3 conservative/dissipative `electric' invariants and 3+1 `magnetic' invariants, satisfying 1+1 and 1+0 trace conditions. After formulating for equatorial circular orbits on Kerr spacetime, we calculate explicitly for Schwarzschild spacetime. We employ both Lorenz gauge and Regge-Wheeler gauge numerical codes, and the functional series method of Mano, Suzuki and Takasugi. We present (i) highly-accurate numerical data and (ii) high-order analytical post-Newtonian expansions. We demonstrate consistency between numerical and analytic results, and prior work. We explore the application of these invariants in effective one-body models, and binary black hole initial-data formulations, and conclude with a discussion of future work.

gr-qc↗