Related papers: Compact binary coalescences: The subtle issue of a…
We have performed an extensive numerical study of coalescing black-hole binaries to understand the gravitational-wave spectrum of quasi-normal modes excited in the merged black hole. Remarkably, we find that the masses and spins of the…
We investigate the gravitational energy-momentum distribution in the space-time of two black holes in circular orbit, in the context of the teleparallel equivalent of general relativity. This field configuration is important because…
The waveform of a binary black hole coalescence appears to be both simple and universal. In this essay we argue that the dynamics should admit a separation into 'fast and slow' degrees of freedom, such that the latter are described by an…
Eccentricity and spin precession are key observables in gravitational-wave astronomy, encoding precious information about the astrophysical formation of compact binaries together with fine details of the relativistic two-body problem.…
Over the next decade, third-generation interferometers and the space-based LISA mission will observe binaries in galactic centers involving supermassive black holes with millions of solar masses. More precise measurements of more extreme…
In gravitational-wave astronomy, as in other scientific disciplines, ``exceptional'' sources attract considerable interest because they challenge our current understanding of the underlying (astro)physical processes. Crucially,…
The inspiral and merger of binary black holes will likely involve black holes with both unequal masses and arbitrary spins. The gravitational radiation emitted by these binaries will carry angular as well as linear momentum. A net flux of…
Hyperbolic encounters of compact objects are common interactions in dense environments. During this process a significant amount of gravitational radiation is emitted depending on the parameters of the system. Here we give a parametric…
The complex astrophysical processes leading to the formation of binary black holes and their eventual merger are imprinted on the spins of the individual black holes. We revisit the astrophysical distribution of those spins based on…
Binary black holes may form both through isolated binary evolution and through dynamical interactions in dense stellar environments. The formation channel leaves an imprint on the alignment between the black hole spins and the orbital…
We present an investigation into how sensitive the last orbits and merger of binary black hole systems are to the presence of spurious radiation in the initial data. Our numerical experiments consist of a binary black hole system starting…
Dray and Streubel proposed a definition of angular momentum in general relativity based on `Bondi-Metzner-Sachs (BMS) charges'. I show here that the natural definition of center of mass in this program has an infinite-dimensional ambiguity.…
The gravitational wave signature emitted from a merging binary depends on the orientation of an observer relative to the binary. Previous studies suggest that emission along the total initial or total final angular momenta leads to both the…
The vast majority of compact binary mergers in the Universe produce gravitational waves that are too weak to yield unambiguous detections; they are unresolved. We present a method to infer the population properties of compact binaries --…
The origin of the spins of stellar-mass black holes is still controversial, and angular momentum transport inside massive stars is one of the main sources of uncertainty. Here, we apply hierarchical Bayesian inference to derive constraints…
The coalescence of supermassive black hole binaries occurs via the emission of gravitational waves, that can impart a substantial recoil to the merged black hole. We consider the energy dissipation, that results if the recoiling black hole…
The origin of black hole (BH) spins remains one of the least understood aspects of BHs. Despite many uncertainties, it is commonly assumed that if BHs originated from isolated massive star binaries, their spins should be aligned with the…
Orbital eccentricity and spin precession are precious observables to infer the formation history of binary black holes with gravitational-wave data. We present a post-Newtonian, multi-timescale analysis of the binary dynamics able to…
When galaxies collide, dynamical friction drives their central supermassive black holes close enought to each other such that gravitational radiation becomes the leading dissipative effect. Gravitational radiation takes away energy,…
Binary black holes occupy a special place in our quest for understanding the evolution of galaxies along cosmic history. If massive black holes grow at the center of (pre-)galactic structures that experience a sequence of merger episodes,…