Building Better Spin Models for Merging Binary Black Holes: Evidence for Nonspinning and Rapidly Spinning Nearly Aligned Subpopulations

AbstractSince 2015 the gravitational-wave observations of LIGO and Virgo have transformed our understanding of compact-object binaries. In the years to come, ground-based gravitational-wave observatories such as LIGO, Virgo, and their successors will increase in sensitivity, discovering thousands of stellar-mass binaries. In the 2030s, the space-based LISA will provide gravitational-wave observations of massive black holes binaries. Between the $\sim 10$ ∼ 10 –103 Hz band of ground-based observatories and the $\sim 10^{-4}$ ∼ 1 0 − 4 –10− 1 Hz band of LISA lies the uncharted decihertz gravitational-wave band. We propose a Decihertz Observatory to study this frequency range, and to complement observations made by other detectors. Decihertz observatories are well suited to observation of intermediate-mass ($\sim 10^{2}$ ∼ 1 0 2 –104M⊙) black holes; they will be able to detect stellar-mass binaries days to years before they merge, providing early warning of nearby binary neutron star mergers and measurements of the eccentricity of binary black holes, and they will enable new tests of general relativity and the Standard Model of particle physics. Here we summarise how a Decihertz Observatory could provide unique insights into how black holes form and evolve across cosmic time, improve prospects for both multimessenger astronomy and multiband gravitational-wave astronomy, and enable new probes of gravity, particle physics and cosmology.

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Predicting the broad-lines polarization emitted by supermassive binary black holes

Astronomy and Astrophysics ◽

10.1051/0004-6361/201834443 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 623 ◽

pp. A56 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

D. Savić ◽

F. Marin ◽

L. Č. Popović

Keyword(s):

Black Holes ◽

Emission Lines ◽

Polarization Angle ◽

Broad Line ◽

Line Profiles ◽

Binary Black Holes ◽

True Nature ◽

Line Shapes ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

Balmer Lines

Context. Some Type-1 active galactic nuclei (AGN) show extremely asymmetric Balmer lines with the broad peak redshifted or blueshifted by thousands of km s−1. These AGN may be good candidates for supermassive binary black holes (SMBBHs). The complex line shapes can be due to the complex kinematics of the two broad line regions (BLRs). Therefore other methods should be applied to confirm the SMBBHs. One of them is spectropolarimetry. Aims. We rely on numerical modeling of the polarimetry of binary black holes systems, since polarimetry is highly sensitive to geometry, in order to find the specific influence of supermassive binary black hole (SMBBH) geometry and dynamics on polarized parameters across the broad line profiles. We apply our method to SMBBHs in which both components are assumed to be AGN with distances at the subparsec scale. Methods. We used a Monte Carlo radiative transfer code that simulates the geometry, dynamics, and emission pattern of a binary system where two black holes are getting increasingly close. Each gravitational well is accompanied by its own BLR and the whole system is surrounded by an accretion flow from the distant torus. We examined the emission line deformation and predicted the associated polarization that could be observed. Results. We modeled scattering-induced broad line polarization for various BLR geometries with complex kinematics. We find that the presence of SMBBHs can produce complex polarization angle profiles φ and strongly affect the polarized and unpolarized line profiles. Depending on the phase of the SMBBH, the resulting double-peaked emission lines either show red or blue peak dominance, or both the peaks can have the same intensity. In some cases, the whole line profile appears as a single Gaussian line, hiding the true nature of the source. Conclusions. Our results suggest that future observation with the high resolution spectropolarimetry of optical broad emission lines could play an important role in detecting subparsec SMBBHs.

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