arXiv subjects

Ugo N. Di Carlo

Publications and source records attributed to Ugo N. Di Carlo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2024

The cosmic rate of Pair-Instability Supernovae

Pair-instability supernovae (PISNe) have crucial implications for many astrophysical topics, including the search for very massive stars, the black hole mass spectrum, and galaxy chemical enrichment. To this end, we need to understand where PISNe are across cosmic time, and what are their favourable galactic environments. We present a new determination of the PISN rate as a function of redshift, obtained by combining up-to-date stellar evolution tracks from the PARSEC and FRANEC codes, with an up-to-date semi-empirical determination of the star formation rate and metallicity evolution of star-forming galaxies throughout cosmic history. We find the PISN rate to exhibit a huge dependence on the model assumptions, including the criterion to identify stars unstable to pair production, and the upper limit of the stellar initial mass function. Remarkably, the interplay between the maximum metallicity at which stars explode as PISNe, and the dispersion of the galaxy metallicity distribution, dominates the uncertainties, causing a $\sim$ seven-orders-of-magnitude PISN rate range. Furthermore, we show a comparison with the core-collapse supernova rate, and study the properties of the favourable PISN host galaxies. According to our results, the main contribution to the PISN rate comes from metallicities between $\sim 10^{-3}$ and $10^{-2}$, against the common assumption that views very-low-metallicity, Population III stars as exclusive or dominant PISN progenitors. The strong dependencies we find offer the opportunity to constrain stellar and galaxy evolution models based on possible future (or the lack of) PISN observations.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2023

Dynamical formation of $Gaia$ BH1 in a young star cluster

$Gaia$ BH1, the first quiescent black hole (BH) detected from $Gaia$ data, poses a challenge to most binary evolution models: its current mass ratio is $\approx{0.1}$, and its orbital period seems to be too long for a post-common envelope system and too short for a non-interacting binary system. Here, we explore the hypothesis that $Gaia$ BH1 formed through dynamical interactions in a young star cluster (YSC). We study the properties of BH-main sequence (MS) binaries formed in YSCs with initial mass $3\times{}10^2-3\times{}10^4$ M$_\odot$ at solar metallicity, by means of $3.5\times{}10^4$ direct $N$-body simulations coupled with binary population synthesis. For comparison, we also run a sample of isolated binary stars with the same binary population synthesis code used in the dynamical models. We find that BH-MS systems that form via dynamical exchanges populate the region corresponding to the main orbital properties of $Gaia$ BH1 (period, eccentricity, and masses). In contrast, none of our isolated binary systems matches the orbital period and MS mass of $Gaia$ BH1. Our best matching $Gaia$ BH1--like system forms via repeated dynamical exchanges and collisions involving the BH progenitor star, before it undergoes core collapse. YSCs are at least two orders of magnitude more efficient in forming $Gaia$ BH1--like systems than isolated binary evolution.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2023

Dynamics of intermediate mass black holes in globular clusters. Wander radius and anisotropy profiles

We recently introduced a new method for simulating collisional gravitational N-body systems with approximately linear time scaling with $N$, based on the Multi-Particle Collision (MPC) scheme, previously applied in Plasma Physics. We simulate globular clusters with a realistic number of stellar particles (at least up to several times $10^6$) on a standard workstation. We simulate clusters hosting an intermediate mass black hole (IMBH), probing a broad range of BH-cluster and BH-average-star mass ratios, unrestricted by the computational constraints affecting direct N-body codes. We use either single mass models or models with a Salpeter mass function, with the IMBH initially sitting at the centre. The force exerted by and on the IMBH is evaluated with a direct scheme. We measure the evolution of the Lagrangian radii and core density and velocity dispersion over time. In addition, we study the evolution of the velocity anisotropy profiles. We find that models with an IMBH undergo core collapse at earlier times, the larger the IMBH mass the shallower, with an approximately constant central density at core collapse. The presence of an IMBH tends to lower the central velocity dispersion. These results hold independently of the mass function. For the models with Salpeter MF we observe that equipartition of kinetic energies is never achieved. Orbital anisotropy at large radii appears driven by energetic escapers on radial orbits. We measure the wander radius. Among the results we obtained, which mostly confirm or extend previously known trends that had been established over the range of parameters accessible to direct N-body simulations, we underline that the leptokurtic nature of the IMBH wander radius distribution might lead to IMBHs presenting as off-center more frequently than expected, with implications on observational IMBH detection.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Dynamics of binary black holes in young star clusters: the impact of cluster mass and long-term evolution

Dynamical interactions in dense star clusters are considered one of the most effective formation channels of binary black holes (BBHs). Here, we present direct $N-$body simulations of two different star cluster families: low-mass ($\sim{500-800}$ M$_\odot$) and relatively high-mass star clusters ($\ge{5000}$ M$_\odot$). We show that the formation channels of BBHs in low- and high-mass star clusters are extremely different and lead to two completely distinct populations of BBH mergers. Low-mass clusters host mainly low-mass BBHs born from binary evolution, while BBHs in high-mass clusters are relatively massive (chirp mass up to $\sim{100}$ M$_\odot$) and driven by dynamical exchanges. Tidal disruption dramatically quenches the formation and dynamical evolution of BBHs in low-mass clusters on a very short timescale ($\lesssim{100}$ Myr), while BBHs in high-mass clusters undergo effective dynamical hardening until the end of our simulations (1.5 Gyr). In high-mass clusters we find that 8\% of BBHs have primary mass in the pair-instability mass gap, all of them born via stellar collisions, while only one BBH with primary mass in the mass gap forms in low-mass clusters. These differences are crucial for the interpretation of the formation channels of gravitational-wave sources.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2022

Gravitational background from dynamical binaries and detectability with 2G detectors

We study the impact of young clusters on the gravitational wave background from compact binary coalescence. We simulate a catalog of sources from population I/II isolated binary stars and stars born in young clusters, corresponding to one year of observations with second-generation (2G) detectors. Taking into account uncertainties on the fraction of dynamical binaries and star formation parameters, we find that the background is dominated by the population of binary black holes, and we obtain a value of $Ω_{gw}(25 \rm{Hz}) = 1.2^{+1.38}_{-0.65} \times 10^{-9}$ for the energy density, in agreement with the actual upper limits derived from the latest observation run of LIGO--Virgo. We demonstrate that a large number of sources in a specific corrected mass range yields to a bump in the background. This background could be detected with 8 years of coincident data by a network of 2G detectors.

astro-ph.CO↗

arXiv2022

Compact Object Mergers in Hierarchical Triples from Low-Mass Young Star Clusters

A binary star orbited by an outer companion constitutes a hierarchical triple system. The outer body may excite the eccentricity of the inner binary through the von~Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai (ZLK) mechanism, triggering the gravitational wave (GW) coalescence of the inner binary when its members are compact objects. Here, we study a sample of hierarchical triples with an inner black hole (BH) -- BH binary, BH -- neutron star (NS) binary, and BH -- white dwarf (WD) binary, formed via dynamical interactions in low-mass young star clusters. Our sample of triples was obtained self-consistently from direct N-body simulations of star clusters which included up-to-date stellar evolution. We find that the inner binaries in our triples cannot merge via GW radiation alone, and the ZLK mechanism is essential to trigger their coalescence. Contrary to binaries assembled dynamically in young star clusters, binary BHs merging in triples have preferentially low mass ratios (q ~ 0.3) and higher primary masses (m_p > 40 MSun). We derive a local merger rate density of 0.60, 0.11 and 0.5 yr^-1 Gpc^-3 for BH-BH, BH-NS and BH-WD binaries, respectively. Additionally, we find that merging binaries have high eccentricities across the GW spectrum, including the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK), LISA, and DECIGO frequencies. About 7% of BH-BH and 60% of BH-NS binaries will have detectable eccentricities in the LVK band. Our results indicate that the eccentricity and the mass spectrum of merging binaries are the strongest features for the identification of GW mergers from triples.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

New insights on binary black hole formation channels after GWTC-2: young star clusters versus isolated binaries

With the recent release of the second gravitational-wave transient catalogue (GWTC-2), which introduced dozens of new detections, we are at a turning point of gravitational wave astronomy, as we are now able to directly infer constraints on the astrophysical population of compact objects. Here, we tackle the burning issue of understanding the origin of binary black hole (BBH) mergers. To this effect, we make use of state-of-the-art population synthesis and N-body simulations, to represent two distinct formation channels: BBHs formed in the field (isolated channel) and in young star clusters (dynamical channel). We then use a Bayesian hierarchical approach to infer the distribution of the mixing fraction $f$, with $f=0$ ($f=1$) in the pure dynamical (isolated) channel. %that controls the proportion of isolated and dynamical BBHs. We explore the effects of additional hyper-parameters of the model, such as the spread in metallicity $σ_{\text{Z}}$ and the parameter $σ_{\text{sp}}$, describing the distribution of spin magnitudes. We find that the dynamical model is slightly favoured with a median value of $f=0.26$, when $σ_{\text{sp}}=0.1$ and $σ_{\text{Z}}=0.4$. Models with higher spin magnitudes tend to strongly favour dynamically formed BBHs ($f\le{}0.1$ if $σ_{\text{sp}}=0.3$). Furthermore, we show that hyper-parameters controlling the rates of the model, such as $σ_{\rm Z}$, have a large impact on the inference of the mixing fraction, which rises from $0.18$ to $0.43$ when we increase $σ_{\text{Z}}$ from 0.2 to 0.6, for a fixed value of $σ_{\text{sp}}=0.1$. Finally, our current set of observations is better described by a combination of both formation channels, as a pure dynamical scenario is excluded at the $99\%$ credible interval, except when the spin magnitude is high.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

The Black Hole Mass Function Across Cosmic Times I. Stellar Black Holes and Light Seed Distribution

This is the first paper in a series aimed at modeling the black hole (BH) mass function, from the stellar to the intermediate to the (super)massive regime. In the present work we focus on stellar BHs and provide an ab-initio computation of their mass function across cosmic times. Specifically, we exploit the state-of-the-art stellar and binary evolutionary code \texttt{SEVN}, and couple its outputs with redshift-dependent galaxy statistics and empirical scaling relations involving galaxy metallicity, star-formation rate and stellar mass. The resulting relic mass function ${\rm d}N/{\rm d}V{\rm d}\log m_\bullet$ as a function of the BH mass $m_\bullet$ features a rather flat shape up to $m_\bullet\approx 50\, M_\odot$ and then a log-normal decline for larger masses, while its overall normalization at a given mass increases with decreasing redshift. We highlight the contribution to the local mass function from isolated stars evolving into BHs and from binary stellar systems ending up in single or binary BHs. We also include the distortion on the mass function induced by binary BH mergers, finding that it has a minor effect at the high-mass end. We estimate a local stellar BH relic mass density of $ρ_\bullet\approx 5\times 10^7\, M_\odot$ Mpc$^{-3}$, which exceeds by more than two orders of magnitude that in supermassive BHs; this translates into an energy density parameter $Ω_\bullet\approx 4\times 10^{-4}$, implying that the total mass in stellar BHs amounts to $\lesssim 1\%$ of the local baryonic matter. We show how our mass function for merging BH binaries compares with the recent estimates from gravitational wave observations by LIGO/Virgo, and discuss the possible implications for dynamical formation of BH binaries in dense environments like star clusters. [abridged]

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

GW190521 formation via three-body encounters in young massive star clusters

GW190521 is the most massive binary black hole (BBH) merger observed to date, and its primary component lies in the pair-instability (PI) mass gap. Here, we investigate the formation of GW190521-like systems via three-body encounters in young massive star clusters. We performed 2$\times10^5$ simulations of binary-single interactions between a BBH and a massive $\geq{60}\,$M$_{\odot}$ black hole (BH), including post-Newtonian terms up to the $2.5$ order and a prescription for relativistic kicks. In our initial conditions, we take into account the possibility of forming BHs in the PI mass gap via stellar collisions. If we assume that first-generation BHs have low spins, $\sim{0.17}\%$ of all the simulated BBH mergers have component masses, effective and precessing spin, and remnant mass and spin inside the $90\%$ credible intervals of GW190521. Seven of these systems are first-generation exchanged binaries, while five are second-generation BBHs. We estimate a merger rate density $\mathcal{R}_{\rm GW190521}\sim{0.03}\,$Gpc$^{-3}\,$yr$^{-1}$ for GW190521-like binaries formed via binary-single interactions in young star clusters. This rate is extremely sensitive to the spin distribution of first-generation BBHs. Stellar collisions, second-generation mergers and dynamical exchanges are the key ingredients to produce GW190521-like systems in young star clusters.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Hierarchical black hole mergers in young, globular and nuclear star clusters: the effect of metallicity, spin and cluster properties

We explore hierarchical black hole (BH) mergers in nuclear star clusters (NSCs), globular clusters (GCs) and young star clusters (YSCs), accounting for both original and dynamically assembled binary BHs (BBHs). We find that the median mass of both first- and nth-generation dynamical mergers is larger in GCs and YSCs with respect to NSCs, because the lighter BHs are ejected by supernova kicks from the lower-mass clusters. Also, first- and nth-generation BH masses are strongly affected by the metallicity of the progenitor stars: the median mass of the primary BH of a nth-generation merger is $\sim{}24-38$ M$_\odot$ ($\sim{}9-15$ M$_\odot$) in metal-poor (metal-rich) NSCs. The maximum BH mass mainly depends on the escape velocity: BHs with mass up to several thousand M$_\odot$ form in NSCs, while YSCs and GCs host BHs with mass up to several hundred M$_\odot$. Furthermore, we calculate the fraction of mergers with at least one component in the pair-instability mass gap ($f_{\rm PI}$) and in the intermediate-mass BH regime ($f_{\rm IMBH}$). In the fiducial model for dynamical BBHs with metallicity $Z=0.002$, we find $f_{\rm PI}\approx{}0.05$, $0.02$ and $0.007$ ($f_{\rm IMBH}\approx{}0.01$, $0.002$ and $0.001$) in NSCs, GCs and YSCs, respectively. Both $f_{\rm PI}$ and $f_{\rm IMBH}$ drop by at least one order of magnitude at solar metallicity. Finally, we investigate the formation of GW190521 by assuming that it is either a nearly equal-mass BBH or an intermediate-mass ratio inspiral.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2021

Intermediate mass black holes from stellar mergers in young star clusters

Intermediate mass black holes (IMBHs) in the mass range $10^2-10^5\,\mathrm{M_{\odot}}$ bridge the gap between stellar black holes (BHs) and supermassive BHs. Here, we investigate the possibility that IMBHs form in young star clusters via runaway collisions and BH mergers. We analyze $10^4$ simulations of dense young star clusters, featuring up-to-date stellar wind models and prescriptions for core collapse and (pulsational) pair instability. In our simulations, only 9 IMBHs out of 218 form via binary BH mergers, with a mass $\sim{}100-140$ M$_\odot$. This channel is strongly suppressed by the low escape velocity of our star clusters. In contrast, IMBHs with masses up to $\sim{}438$ M$_{\odot}$ efficiently form via runaway stellar collisions, especially at low metallicity. Up to $\sim{}0.2$~% of all the simulated BHs are IMBHs, depending on progenitor's metallicity. The runaway formation channel is strongly suppressed in metal-rich ($Z=0.02$) star clusters, because of stellar winds. IMBHs are extremely efficient in pairing with other BHs: $\sim{}70$% of them are members of a binary BH at the end of the simulations. However, we do not find any IMBH-BH merger. More massive star clusters are more efficient in forming IMBHs: $\sim{}8$% ($\sim{}1$%) of the simulated clusters with initial mass $10^4-3\times{}10^4$ M$_\odot$ ($10^3-5\times{}10^3$ M$_\odot$) host at least one IMBH.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

The impact of binaries on the evolution of star clusters from turbulent molecular clouds

Most of massive stars form in binary or higher-order systems in clumpy, sub-structured clusters. In the very first phases of their life, these stars are expected to interact with the surrounding environment, before being released to the field when the cluster is tidally disrupted by the host galaxy. We present a set of N-body simulations to describe the evolution of young stellar clusters and their binary content in the first phases of their life. To do this, we have developed a method that generates realistic initial conditions for binary stars in star clusters from hydrodynamical simulations. We considered different evolutionary cases to quantify the impact of binary and stellar evolution. Also, we compared their evolution to that of King and fractal models with different length scales. Our results indicate that the global expansion of the cluster from hydrodynamical simulations is initially balanced by the sub-clump motion and accelerates when a monolithic shape is reached, as in a post-core collapse evolution. Compared to the spherical initial conditions, the ratio of the 50% to 10% Lagrangian radius shows a very distinctive trend, explained by the formation of a hot core of massive stars triggered by the high initial degree of mass segregation. As for its binary population, each cluster shows a self-regulating behaviour by creating interacting binaries with binding energies of the order of its energy scales. Also, in absence of original binaries, the dynamically formed binaries present a mass dependent binary fraction, that mimics the trend of the observed one.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2021

The cosmic merger rate density evolution of compact binaries formed in young star clusters and in isolated binaries

Next generation ground-based gravitational-wave detectors will observe binary black hole (BBH) mergers up to redshift $z\gtrsim{}10$, probing the evolution of compact binary (CB) mergers across cosmic time. Here, we present a new data-driven model to estimate the cosmic merger rate density (MRD) evolution of CBs, by coupling catalogs of CB mergers with observational constraints on the cosmic star formation rate density and on the metallicity evolution of the Universe. We adopt catalogs of CB mergers derived from recent $N-$body and population-synthesis simulations, to describe the MRD of CBs formed in young star clusters (hereafter, dynamical CBs) and in the field (hereafter, isolated CBs). The local MRD of dynamical BBHs is $\mathcal{R}_{\rm BBH}=64^{+34}_{-20}$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$, consistent with the 90% credible interval from the first and second observing run (O1 and O2) of the LIGO-Virgo collaboration, and with the local MRD of isolated BBHs ($\mathcal{R}_{\rm BBH}=50^{+71}_{-37}$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$). The local MRD of dynamical and isolated black hole - neutron star binaries is $\mathcal{R}_{\rm BHNS}=41^{+33}_{-23}$ and $49^{+48}_{-34}$~Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$, respectively. Both values are consistent with the upper limit inferred from O1 and O2. Finally, the local MRD of dynamical binary neutron stars (BNSs, $\mathcal{R}_{\rm BNS}=151^{+59}_{-38}$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$) is a factor of two lower than the local MRD of isolated BNSs ($\mathcal{R}_{\rm BNS}=283^{+97}_{-75}$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$). The MRD for all CB classes grows with redshift, reaching its maximum at $z \in [1.5,2.5]$, and then decreases. This trend springs from the interplay between cosmic star formation rate, metallicity evolution and delay time of binary compact objects.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

From hydrodynamics to N-body simulations of star clusters: mergers and rotation

We present a new method to obtain more realistic initial conditions for N-body simulations of young star clusters. We start from the outputs of hydrodynamical simulations of molecular cloud collapse, in which star formation is modelled with sink particles. In our approach, we instantaneously remove gas from these hydrodynamical simulation outputs to mock the end of the gas-embedded phase, induced by stellar feedback. We then enforce a realistic initial mass function by splitting or joining the sink particles based on their mass and position. Such initial conditions contain more consistent information on the spatial distribution and the kinematical and dynamical states of young star clusters, which are fundamental to properly study these systems. For example, by applying our method to a set of previously run hydrodynamical simulations, we found that the early evolution of young star clusters is affected by gas removal and by the early dry merging of sub-structures. This early evolution can either quickly erase the rotation acquired by our (sub-)clusters in their embedded phase or "fuel" it by feeding of angular momentum by sub-structure mergers, before two-body relaxation acts on longer timescales.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2020

Populating the upper black hole mass gap through stellar collisions in young star clusters

Theoretical modeling of massive stars predicts a gap in the black hole (BH) mass function above $\sim 40-50\,M_{\odot}$ for BHs formed through single star evolution, arising from (pulsational) pair-instability supernovae. However, in dense star clusters, dynamical channels may exist that allow construction of BHs with masses in excess of those allowed from single star evolution. The detection of BHs in this so-called "upper-mass gap" would provide strong evidence for the dynamical processing of BHs prior to their eventual merger. Here, we explore in detail the formation of BHs with masses within or above the pair-instability gap through collisions of young massive stars in dense star clusters. We run a suite of 68 independent cluster simulations, exploring a variety of physical assumptions pertaining to growth through stellar collisions, including primordial cluster mass segregation and the efficiency of envelope stripping during collisions. We find that as many as $\sim20\%$ of all BH progenitors undergo one or more collisions prior to stellar collapse and up to $\sim1\%$ of all BHs reside within or above the pair-instability gap through the effects of these collisions. We show that these BHs readily go on to merge with other BHs in the cluster, creating a population of massive BH mergers at a rate that may compete with the "multiple-generation" merger channel described in other analyses. This has clear relevance for the formation of very massive BH binaries as recently detected by LIGO/Virgo in GW190521. Finally, we describe how stellar collisions in clusters may provide a unique pathway to pair-instability supernovae and briefly discuss the expected rate of these events and other electromagnetic transients.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

Binary black holes in young star clusters: the impact of metallicity

Young star clusters are the most common birth-place of massive stars and are dynamically active environments. Here, we study the formation of black holes (BHs) and binary black holes (BBHs) in young star clusters, by means of 6000 N-body simulations coupled with binary population synthesis. We probe three different stellar metallicities (Z=0.02, 0.002 and 0.0002) and two initial density regimes (density at the half-mass radius $ρ_{\rm h}\ge{}3.4\times10^4$ and $\ge{1.5\times10^2}$ M$_\odot$ pc$^{-3}$ in dense and loose star clusters, respectively). Metal-poor clusters tend to form more massive BHs than metal-rich ones. We find $\sim{}6$, $\sim{}2$, and $<1$% of BHs with mass $m_{\rm BH}>60$ M$_\odot$ at Z=0.0002, 0.002 and 0.02, respectively. In metal-poor clusters, we form intermediate-mass BHs with mass up to $\sim{}320$ M$_\odot$. BBH mergers born via dynamical exchanges (exchanged BBHs) can be more massive than BBH mergers formed from binary evolution: the former (latter) reach total mass up to $\sim{}140$ M$_\odot$ ($\sim{}80$ M$_\odot$). The most massive BBH merger in our simulations has primary mass $\sim{}88$ M$_\odot$, inside the pair-instability mass gap, and a mass ratio of $\sim{}0.5$. Only BBHs born in young star clusters from metal-poor progenitors can match the masses of GW170729, the most massive event in O1 and O2, and those of GW190412, the first unequal-mass merger. We estimate a local BBH merger rate density $\sim{}110$ and $\sim{}55$ Gpc$^{-3}$ yr$^{-1}$, if we assume that all stars form in loose and dense star clusters, respectively.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

Binary black holes in the pair-instability mass gap

Pair instability (PI) and pulsational PI prevent the formation of black holes (BHs) with mass $\gtrsim{}60$ M$_\odot$ from single star evolution. Here, we investigate the possibility that BHs with mass in the PI gap form via stellar mergers and multiple stellar mergers, facilitated by dynamical encounters in young star clusters. We analyze $10^4$ simulations, run with the direct N-body code nbody6++gpu coupled with the population synthesis code MOBSE. We find that up to $\sim{}6$~% of all simulated BHs have mass in the PI gap, depending on progenitor's metallicity. This formation channel is strongly suppressed in metal-rich (Z = 0.02) star clusters, because of stellar winds. BHs with mass in the PI gap are initially single BHs but can efficiently acquire companions through dynamical exchanges. We find that $\sim{}$21%, 10% and 0.5% of all binary BHs have at least one component in the PI mass gap at metallicity Z = 0.0002, 0.002 and 0.02, respectively. Based on the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate and metallicity, and under the assumption that all stars form in young star clusters, we predict that $\sim{}5$~% of all binary BH mergers detectable by advanced LIGO and Virgo at their design sensitivity have at least one component in the PI mass gap.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

Dynamics of black hole - neutron star binaries in young star clusters

Young star clusters are likely the most common birthplace of massive stars across cosmic time and influence the formation of compact binaries in several ways. Here, we simulate the formation of black hole -- neutron star binaries (BHNSs) in young star clusters, by means of the binary population synthesis code \texttt{MOBSE} interfaced with the $N$-body code \texttt{NBODY6++GPU}. BHNSs formed in young star clusters (dynamical BHNSs) are significantly more massive than BHNSs formed from isolated binaries (isolated BHNSs): $\sim{}40$~\% of the dynamical BHNS mergers have total mass $>15$ M$_\odot$, while only $\sim{}0.01$~\% of the isolated BHNS mergers have mass in excess of this value. Hence, our models strongly support a dynamical formation scenario for GW190814, given its total mass $\sim{}26$ M$_\odot$, if this event is a BHNS merger. All our dynamical BHNSs are ejected from their parent star cluster before they reach coalescence. Thus, a significant fraction of BHNS mergers occurring in the field might have originated in a young star cluster. The mass spectrum of BHNS mergers from gravitational-wave detections will provide a clue to differentiate between dynamical and isolated formation of BHNSs.

astro-ph.HE↗