arXiv subjects

Qiuxin Cui

Publications and source records attributed to Qiuxin Cui.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Waveforms and Fluxes of Generic Extreme-Mass-Ratio Inspirals with a Spinning Secondary

Extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs), comprising a stellar-mass compact object (CO) orbiting a supermassive black hole (BH), are key targets for future space-based gravitational-wave (GW) observatories. Incorporating the spin of the secondary body into waveform models not only enhances measurement precision but also offers insight into the spin distribution of stellar-mass COs. In this work, we construct the flux and waveform for an EMRI with a spinning secondary in a Kerr background under the linear-spin approximation. Using the radiative prescription (half-retarded minus half-advanced field), we calculate orbit-averaged fluxes for the fundamental constants of motion, including the energy, angular momentum, and the Carter-like constant. This framework provides a tractable route to generating waveforms that incorporate the secondary spin.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Secondary spins of extreme mass ratio inspirals: A probe to the formation channels

Extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs), consisting of a secondary (stellar mass) black hole (BH) orbiting around a supermassive BH, are one of the primary targets for future spaceborne gravitational wave (GW) detectors. The spin of the secondary BH encodes the formation history of the stellar mass BH and the formation process of the EMRI. In this work, we construct a kludge EMRI waveform model taking the secondary spin into account and preliminarily forecast the measurement precision of the secondary spin by future spaceborne GW detectors with the Fisher information matrix. We find the secondary spin might be measured with reasonably good precision for generic eccentric and inclined EMRIs, with the caveat that the predictive precision may be constrained by the model's inherent simplifications. As an example of its astrophysical applications, we propose that the secondary spin can be used for distinguishing dry (loss cone) EMRIs (where the secondary BHs were born in the collapse of individual massive stars and are of low spin) and Hills EMRIs (where the secondary BHs are remnants of massive star binaries and the secondary spins follow a bimodal distribution).

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Assessing the systematic errors of extreme-mass-ratio inspirals waveforms for testing general relativity

Gravitational wave (GW) observations from extreme-mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) are powerful tools for testing general relativity (GR). However, systematic errors arising from waveform models could potentially lead to incorrect scientific conclusions. These errors can be divided into two main categories: fundamental bias (due to limitations in the validity of the Einstein field equations) and modeling error (due to inaccuracies in waveform templates). Using Bayesian inference, we investigate the impact of these systematic errors on tests of GR. Regarding fundamental bias, we find that at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), there is a risk of misidentifying a non-GR EMRI signal as a GR-EMRI one, and vice versa. However, this risk diminishes as the SNR increases to around 40 or higher. Additionally, modeling errors might reduce the SNR of detected EMRI signals and could be misinterpreted as deviations from GR, leading Bayesian inference to favor non-GR scenarios, especially at high SNR. We emphasize the importance of developing sufficiently accurate waveform templates based on alternative gravity theories for testing GR.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Influence of mass-ratio corrections in extreme-mass-ratio inspirals for testing general relativity

The popular waveform templates of extreme-mass-ratio inspirals usually omit the mass-ratio corrections in the conservative dynamics, and employ adiabatic approximation to include the radiation reaction. With the help of effective-one-body dynamics, we investigate the influence of mass-ratio corrections in the conservative part on the gravitational waves. We find that for the extra-relativistic orbits, the mass-ratio corrections can produce obvious orbital dephasing even for very small mass-ratio and then affect the waveforms. More importantly, it is noted that omitting the mass-ratio corrections in waveform templates may induce a fake signal of deviation from general relativity.

gr-qc↗