Sign on

SAO/NASA ADS Astronomy Abstract Service

· Find Similar Abstracts (with default settings below)
· Electronic Refereed Journal Article (HTML)
· Full Refereed Journal Article (PDF/Postscript)
· arXiv e-print (arXiv:0806.0624)
· References in the article
· Citations to the Article (9) (Citation History)
· Refereed Citations to the Article
· Also-Read Articles (Reads History)
·
· Translate This Page
Title:
Observing white dwarfs orbiting massive black holes in the gravitational wave and electro-magnetic window
Authors:
Sesana, A.; Vecchio, A.; Eracleous, M.; Sigurdsson, S.
Affiliation:
AA(Center for Gravitational Wave Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA), AB(School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT), AC(Center for Gravitational Wave Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA), AD(Center for Gravitational Wave Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA)
Publication:
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 391, Issue 2, pp. 718-726. (MNRAS Homepage)
Publication Date:
12/2008
Origin:
MNRAS
MNRAS Keywords:
black hole physics , gravitational waves , radiation mechanisms: general , white dwarfs , galaxies: dwarf
DOI:
10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13904.x
Bibliographic Code:
2008MNRAS.391..718S

Abstract

We consider a potentially new class of gravitational wave sources consisting of a white dwarf (WD) coalescing into a massive black hole (MBH) in the mass range ~104-105Msolar. These sources are of particular interest because the gravitational wave signal produced during the inspiral phase can be detected by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and is promptly followed, in an extended portion of the black hole and WD mass parameter space, by an electro-magnetic signal generated by the tidal disruption of the star, detectable with X-ray, optical and ultraviolet (UV) telescopes. This class of sources could therefore yield a considerable number of scientific payoffs, that include precise cosmography at low redshift, demographics of black holes in the mass range ~104-105Msolar, insights into dynamical interactions and populations of WDs in the cores of dwarf galaxies, as well as a new probe into the structure and equation of state of WDs. By modelling the gravitational and electromagnetic radiation produced by these events, we find them detectable in both observational windows at a distance ~200Mpc, and possibly beyond for selected regions of the parameter space. We also estimate the detection rate for a number of model assumptions about black hole and WD mass functions and dynamical interactions: the rate is (not surprisingly) highly uncertain, ranging from ~0.01 to ~100yr-1. This is due to the current limited theoretical understanding and minimal observational constraints for these objects and processes. However, capture rate scaling arguments favour the high end of the above range, making likely the detection of several events during the LISA lifetime.
Bibtex entry for this abstract   Preferred format for this abstract (see Preferences)
   

Find Similar Abstracts:

Use: Authors
Title
Keywords (in text query field)
Abstract Text
Return: Query Results Return    items starting with number
Query Form
Database: Astronomy
Physics
arXiv e-prints