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Title:
Zoom-Whirl Orbits in Black Hole Binaries
Authors:
Healy, James; Levin, Janna; Shoemaker, Deirdre
Affiliation:
AA(Center for Gravitational Physics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA), AB(Department of Physics and Astronomy, Barnard College of Columbia University, 3009 Broadway, New York, New York 10027, USA; Institute for Strings, Cosmology, and Astroparticle Physics, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA), AC(Center for Relativistic Astrophysics and School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA)
Publication:
Physical Review Letters, vol. 103, Issue 13, id. 131101 (PhRvL Homepage)
Publication Date:
09/2009
Origin:
APS
Keywords:
Numerical studies of black holes and black-hole binaries, Post-Newtonian approximation, perturbation theory, related approximations, Gravitational waves: theory, Classical black holes
PACS Keywords:
Numerical studies of black holes and black-hole binaries, Post-Newtonian approximation; perturbation theory; related approximations, Gravitational waves: theory, Classical black holes
Abstract Copyright:
(c) 2009: The American Physical Society
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.103.131101
Bibliographic Code:
2009PhRvL.103m1101H

Abstract

Zoom-whirl behavior has the reputation of being a rare phenomenon. The concern has been that gravitational radiation would drain angular momentum so rapidly that generic orbits would circularize before zoom-whirl behavior could play out, and only rare highly tuned orbits would retain their imprint. Using full numerical relativity, we catch zoom-whirl behavior despite dissipation. The larger the mass ratio, the longer the pair can spend in orbit before merging and therefore the more zooms and whirls seen. Larger spins also enhance zoom whirliness. An important implication is that these eccentric orbits can merge during a whirl phase, before enough angular momentum has been lost to truly circularize the orbit. Waveforms will be modulated by the harmonics of zoom-whirls, showing quiet phases during zooms and louder glitches during whirls.
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