Related papers: Connecting Core Galaxy Properties to the Massive B…
Compact objects observed via gravitational waves are classified as black holes or neutron stars primarily based on their inferred mass with respect to stellar evolution expectations. However, astrophysical expectations for the lowest mass…
The dynamics of galactic systems with central binary black holes is studied. The model is a modification from the restricted three body problem, in which a galactic potential is added as an external potential. Considering the case with an…
Coalescing massive black hole binaries are powerful emitters of gravitational waves, in the LISA sensitivity range for masses M_BH ~ 10^{4-7} M_sun. According to hierarchical galaxy merger models, binary black holes should form frequently,…
We perform a binary population synthesis calculation incorporating very massive population (Pop.) III stars up to 1500 $M_\odot$, and investigate the nature of binary black hole (BBH) mergers. Above the pair-instability mass gap, we find…
In the standard picture of stellar evolution, pair-instability -- the energy loss in stellar cores due to electron-positron pair production -- is predicted to prevent the collapse of massive stars into black holes with mass in the range…
We simulate mergers between galaxies containing collisionally-relaxed nuclei around massive black holes (MBHs). Our galaxies contain four mass groups, representative of old stellar populations; a primary goal is to understand the…
When two black holes merge in a dense star cluster, they form a new black hole with a well-defined mass and spin. If that "second-generation" black hole remains in the cluster, it will continue to participate in dynamical encounters, form…
Massive binary black holes form at the centre of galaxies that experience a merger episode. They are expected to coalesce into a larger black hole, following the emission of gravitational waves. Coalescing massive binary black holes are…
Understanding how supermassive black holes (SMBHs) pair and merge helps to inform predictions of off-center, dual, and binary AGN, and provides key insights into how SMBHs grow and co-evolve with their galaxy hosts. As the loudest known…
The accumulation of certain types of dark matter particles in neutron star cores due to accretion over long timescales can lead to the formation of a mini black hole. In this scenario, the neutron star is destabilized and implodes to form a…
Observations of the centers of galaxies continue to evolve, and it is useful to take a fresh look at the constraints that exist on alternatives to supermassive black holes at their centers. We discuss constraints complementary to those of…
We explore the connection between the gravitational wave (GW) merger rates of stellar-mass binary black holes (BBH) and galaxy properties. We do this by generating populations of stars using the binary population synthesis code COMPAS and…
The recent detection of the binary black hole merger GW150914 demonstrates the existence of black holes more massive than previously observed in X-ray binaries in our Galaxy. This article explores different scenarios of black hole formation…
The increase in the sensitivity of gravitational wave interferometers will bring additional detections of binary black hole and double neutron star mergers. It will also very likely add many merger events of black hole - neutron star…
The dynamical evolution of globular clusters (GCs) is tied to their binary population, as binaries segregate to the cluster centre, leading to an increased binary fraction in the core. This central overabundance of mainly hard binaries can…
Optical observations of normal-stars in binary systems with massive unseen objects have been proposed to search for candidate black holes (BHs) and provide a direct measurement of their dynamical masses. In this paper, we have performed…
We study the number and interaction rates of supermassive black holes in galactic bulges as predicted by hierarchical models of galaxy formation in which the spheroidal components of galaxies are formed by mergers. In bright ellipticals,…
We explore the formation of mass-transferring binary systems containing black holes within globular clusters. We show that it is possible to form mass-transferring black hole binaries with main sequence, giant, and white dwarf companions…
We study the evolution of a massive black hole pair in a rotationally supported nuclear disc. The distributions of stars and gas mimic the nuclear region of a gas-rich galaxy merger remnant. Using high-resolution SPH simulations, we follow…
Supermassive black holes containing ~0.5% of the stellar mass of their host galaxies appear to be ubiquitous components of galactic nuclei. The gravitational force from these central singularities can influence the motion of stars far…