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A population of more than 50 binary black hole mergers has now been observed by the LIGO and Virgo gravitational-wave observatories. While neutron stars are known to have large velocities associated with impulsive kicks imparted to them at…
The LIGO/Virgo Scientific Collaboration recently announced the detection of a compact object binary merger, GW190412, as the first asymmetric binary black hole (BBH) merger with mass ratio $q\approx0.25$. Other than the mass ratio, this BBH…
Wide black hole binaries (wide-BBHs; $\geqslant 10^3$ AU) in the field can be perturbed by random stellar flybys that excite their eccentricities. Once a wide binary is driven to a sufficiently small pericenter approach, gravitational wave…
During its first 4 months of taking data, Advanced LIGO has detected gravitational waves from two binary black hole mergers, GW150914 and GW151226, along with the statistically less significant binary black hole merger candidate LVT151012.…
If rotating core collapse leads to the formation of a proto-neutron star binary in super-close orbit, then the lighter star, propelled toward the minimum stable mass, explodes. The neutron star (or black hole) that remains acquires a…
Orbital eccentricity in gravitational-wave signals from merging compact object binaries is a powerful indicator of their formation channel. Several binary black hole mergers and a neutron star--black hole merger have been reported to…
Binary populations in young star clusters show multiplicity fractions both lower and up to twice as high as those observed in the Galactic field. We follow the evolution of a population of binary stars in dense and loose star clusters…
The coalescence of compact binaries containing neutron stars or black holes is one of the most promising signals for advanced ground-based laser interferometer gravitational-wave detectors, with the first direct detections expected over the…
Merging compact binaries are the most viable and best studied candidates for gravitational wave (GW) detection by the fully operational network of ground-based observatories. In anticipation of the first detections, the expected…
We use recent information on geodetic precession of the binary pulsar B1913+16 along with measurements of its orbital parameters and proper motion to derive new constraints on the immediate progenitor of this double neutron star system. As…
We determine the possible masses and radii of the progenitors of white dwarfs in binaries from fits to detailed stellar evolution models and use these to reconstruct the mass-transfer phase in which the white dwarf was formed. We confirm…
We use a Monte Carlo binary synthesis code to model the formation and evolution of neutron star systems including high-mass X-ray binaries, low-mass X-ray binaries, double neutron star systems and radio pulsars. Our focus is on the…
Observations of binary pulsars and pulsars in globular clusters suggest that at least some pulsars must receive weak natal kicks at birth. If all pulsars received strong natal kicks above \unit[50]{\kms}, those born in globular clusters…
Binary population synthesis simulations allow detailed modelling of gravitational-wave sources from a variety of formation channels. These population models can be compared to the observed catalogue of merging binaries to infer the…
GW231123 is the most massive binary black hole (BBH) merger detected to date by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration. With at least one black hole (BH) in the upper-mass gap and both BHs exhibiting high spins ($\chi_{1,2} \gtrsim 0.8$), this…
Most globular clusters (GCs) show evidence for multiple stellar populations, suggesting the occurrence of several distinct star-formation episodes. The large fraction of second population (2P) stars observed requires a very large 2P gaseous…
The two neutron star-black hole mergers (GW200105 and GW200115) observed in gravitational waves by advanced LIGO and Virgo, mark the first ever discovery of such binaries in nature. We study these two neutron star-black hole systems through…
We review the formation and evolution of compact binary stars consisting of white dwarfs (WDs), neutron stars (NSs), and black holes (BHs). Mergings of compact binary stars are expected to be the most important sources for the forthcoming…
The eccentricity of binary black-hole mergers is predicted to be an indicator of the history of their formation. In particular, eccentricity is a strong signature of dynamical formation rather than formation by stellar evolution in isolated…
We present the successful recovery of common envelope ejection efficiency assumed in a simulated population of double white dwarf binaries like those which may be observed by the future LISA mission. We simulate the formation of double…