Related papers: Bounds on Black Hole Spins
We can be biased against observing massive black holes to merge in the local universe as the bounds on the maximum black hole mass ($M_{BH}^{\rm max}$) depends on the assumptions regarding the metallicity evolution of the star forming gas…
Simultaneous measurements of distance and redshift can be used to constrain the expansion history of the universe and associated cosmological parameters. Merging binary black hole (BBH) systems are standard sirens---their gravitational…
In the presence of an ultralight scalar or vector boson, a spinning black hole will be spun down through the superradiant instability. We use spin measurements from gravitational wave observations of binary black holes, in particular the…
The importance of studying old elliptical galaxies at redshift z ~ 1.5 is reviewed, considering both what can be learned by extending studies of the evolution of cluster galaxy scaling relations to earlier cosmic epochs, and the age-dating…
How Supermassive Blackholes (SMBHs) are spun-up is a key issue of modern astrophysics. As an extension of the study in Wang et al. (2016), we here address the issue by comparing the host galaxy properties of nearby ($z<0.05$) radio-selected…
Astrophysically realistic black holes may have spins that are nearly extremal (i.e., close to 1 in dimensionless units). Numerical simulations of binary black holes are important tools both for calibrating analytical templates for…
The mass distribution of merging binary black holes is generically predicted to evolve with redshift, reflecting systematic changes in their astrophysical environment, stellar progenitors, and/or dominant formation channels over cosmic…
Optimal extraction of information from gravitational-wave observations of binary black-hole coalescences requires detailed knowledge of the waveforms. Current approaches for representing waveform information are based on spin-weighted…
Numerous variations have been proposed on the original suggestion by Blandford and Znajek that magnetic fields could be used to extract rotational energy from black holes. A new categorization of these variations is proposed so that they…
We review current challenges in understanding the values and origin of the spins of black holes in binaries. Thanks to recent advances in astrophysical instrumentation, the spins can now be measured using both gravitational waves emitted by…
The spin of a number of black holes (BHs) in binary systems has been measured. In the case of BHs found in low-mass X-ray binaries (LMXBs) the observed values are in agreement with some theoretical predictions based on binary stellar…
A toy model for jet powers and radio loudness of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is proposed based on the coexistence of the Blandford-Znajek (BZ) and magnetic coupling (MC) processes (CEBZMC) in black hole (BH) accretion disc. It turns out…
We discuss the conditions under which plane electromagnetic and gravitational waves can be amplified by a rotating black hole due to superradiant scattering. We show, in particular, that amplification can occur for low-frequency waves with…
In 4D general relativity, the angular momentum of a black hole is limited by the Kerr bound. We suggest that in string theory, this bound can be breached and compact black-hole-like objects can spin faster. Near such "superspinars," the…
Microquasars are galactic black hole binary systems with radio jets which can sometimes be spatially resolved to show superluminal motion. The first and best known of this class of objects is GRS 1915+105, the brightest accreting source in…
We compute the gravitational waveform emitted during the transition from quasi-spherical inspiral to plunge, merger and ringdown for a system of two black holes in the extreme mass ratio limit, where the primary is spinning and the…
Scattering black holes spin up and gain mass through the re-absorption of orbital angular momentum and energy radiated in gravitational waves during their encounter. In this work, we perform a series of numerical relativity simulations to…
One of the major unsolved questions on the understanding of the AGN population is the origin of the dichotomy between radio-quiet and radio-loud quasars. The most promising explanation is provided by the spin paradigm, which suggests…
High-redshift radio-loud quasars are used to, among other things, test the predictions of cosmological models, set constraints on black hole growth in the early universe and understand galaxy evolution. Prior to this paper, 20 extragalactic…
There is general consensus that active galactic nuclei (AGNs) derive their radiating power from a supermassive black hole (SMBH) that accretes matter. Yet, their precise powering mechanisms and the resulting growth of the SMBH are poorly…