Related papers: Astrophysical implications of binary black holes i…
In the next decade, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will detect the coalescence of massive black hole binaries (MBHBs) in the range $[10^4, 10^8] \, \rm M_{\odot}$, up to $z\sim10$. Their gravitational wave (GW) signal is…
Now that LIGO has revealed the existence of a large number of binary black holes, identifying their origin becomes an important challenge. They might originate in more isolated regions of the galaxy or alternatively they might reside in…
We consider LISA observations of in-spiral signals emitted by massive black hole binary systems in circular orbit and with negligible spins. We study the accuracy with which the source parameters can be extracted from the data stream. We…
Stellar mass binary black holes of unknown formation mechanism have been observed, motivating new methods for distinguishing distinct black hole populations. This work explores how the orbital eccentricity of stellar mass binary black holes…
Gravitational-wave (GW) observations of binary black-hole (BBH) coalescences are expected to address outstanding questions in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics. Realizing the full discovery potential of upcoming…
Accreting supermassive binary black holes (SMBBHs) are potential targets for multi-messenger astronomy as they emit gravitational waves (GW) while their environment emits electromagnetic (EM) waves. In order to get the most out of a joint…
We describe early success in the evolution of binary black hole spacetimes with a numerical code based on a generalization of harmonic coordinates. Indications are that with sufficient resolution this scheme is capable of evolving binary…
We show that the existence of clouds of ultralight particles surrounding black holes during their cosmological history as members of a binary system can leave a measurable imprint on the distribution of masses and orbital eccentricities…
We construct evolutionary tracks for massive black hole binaries (MBHBs) embedded in a surrounding distribution of stars. The dynamics of the binary is evolved by taking into account the erosion of the central stellar cusp bound to the…
Accurate modelling of black hole binaries is critical to achieve the science goals of gravitational-wave detectors. Modelling such configurations relies strongly on calibration to numerical-relativity (NR) simulations. Binaries on…
Hierarchical structure formation inevitably leads to the formation of supermassive binary black holes (BBHs) with a sub-parsec separation in galactic nuclei. However, to date there has been no unambiguous detection of such systems. In an…
Recent intensive observations of the BL Lac object OJ 287 raise a lot of questions on the models of binary black holes, processing jets, rotating helical jets and thermal instability of slim accretion disks. After carefully analyzing their…
Recent studies have shown that orbital eccentricity may indicate dynamical assembly as a formation mechanism for binary black holes. Eccentricity leaves a distinct signature in gravitational wave signals and it may be measured if the binary…
Some of the theoretical challenges posed by the general relativistic description of binary systems of compact objects (neutron stars or black holes) are reviewed. We recall the various ways one can use the theory of the motion, and of the…
Future ground-based gravitational wave observatories will be ideal probes of the environments surrounding black holes with masses $1 - 10\,\mathrm{M_\odot}$. Binary black hole mergers with mass ratios of order $q=m_2/m_1\lesssim10^{-3}$ can…
We investigate the implications of a massive binary system in the centre of the gamma-ray blazar Mkn~501 and show that the periodical behaviour recently observed in the TeV and X-ray lightcurves may possibly be related to the orbital motion…
Rotating axisymmetric objects amplify incoming waves by superradiant scattering. When enclosed in a cavity, the repeated interaction of a confined field with the object may trigger superradiant instabilities. Rotating binaries are…
The values of the bending delays in the signal of a radio pulsar in a binary with a stellar mass black hole as a companion have been calculated accurately within a full general relativistic framework considering the Schwarzchid spacetime…
We review the state of the evidence for the existence and observational appearance of supermassive black hole binaries. Such objects are expected from standard hierarchical galaxy evolution to form after two galaxies, each containing a…
We study the dynamics of a binary orbiting a supermassive black hole (SMBH), focusing on both binary scattering in unbound orbits and eccentric von Zeipel-Lidov-Kozai (vZLK) oscillations in bound orbits. The motion is described in a local…