The Decoupling of Binaries from Their Circumbinary Disks

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Dittmann, Alexander J., Ryan, Geoffrey, Miller, M. Coleman
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Dittmann, Alexander J.
Ryan, Geoffrey
Miller, M. Coleman
author_facet Dittmann, Alexander J.
Ryan, Geoffrey
Miller, M. Coleman
contents We have investigated, both analytically and numerically, accreting supermassive black hole binaries as they inspiral due to gravitational radiation to elucidate the decoupling of binaries from their disks and inform future multi-messenger observations of these systems. Our numerical studies evolve equal-mass binaries from initial separations of $100 GM/c^2$ until merger, resolving scales as small as $\sim0.04 GM/c^2$, where $M$ is the total binary mass. Our simulations accurately capture the point at which the orbital evolution of each binary decouples from that of their circumbinary disk, and precisely resolve the flow of gas throughout the inspiral. We demonstrate analytically and numerically that timescale-based predictions overestimate the binary separations at which decoupling occurs by factors of $\sim3$, and illustrate the utility of a velocity-based decoupling criterion. High-viscosity ($ν\gtrsim0.03 GM/c$) circumbinary systems decouple late ($a_b\lesssim 15 GM/c^2$) and have qualitatively similar morphologies near merger to circumbinary systems with constant binary separations. Lower-viscosity circumbinary disks decouple earlier and exhibit qualitatively different accretion flows, which lead to precipitously decreasing accretion onto the binary. If detected, such a decrease may unambiguously identify the host galaxy of an ongoing event within a LISA error volume. We illustrate how accretion amplitude and variability evolve as binaries gradually decouple from their circumbinary disks, and where decoupling occurs over the course of binary inspirals in the LISA band. We show that, even when dynamically negligible, gas may leave a detectable imprint on the phase of gravitational waves.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2303_16204
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle The Decoupling of Binaries from Their Circumbinary Disks
Dittmann, Alexander J.
Ryan, Geoffrey
Miller, M. Coleman
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Astrophysics of Galaxies
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
We have investigated, both analytically and numerically, accreting supermassive black hole binaries as they inspiral due to gravitational radiation to elucidate the decoupling of binaries from their disks and inform future multi-messenger observations of these systems. Our numerical studies evolve equal-mass binaries from initial separations of $100 GM/c^2$ until merger, resolving scales as small as $\sim0.04 GM/c^2$, where $M$ is the total binary mass. Our simulations accurately capture the point at which the orbital evolution of each binary decouples from that of their circumbinary disk, and precisely resolve the flow of gas throughout the inspiral. We demonstrate analytically and numerically that timescale-based predictions overestimate the binary separations at which decoupling occurs by factors of $\sim3$, and illustrate the utility of a velocity-based decoupling criterion. High-viscosity ($ν\gtrsim0.03 GM/c$) circumbinary systems decouple late ($a_b\lesssim 15 GM/c^2$) and have qualitatively similar morphologies near merger to circumbinary systems with constant binary separations. Lower-viscosity circumbinary disks decouple earlier and exhibit qualitatively different accretion flows, which lead to precipitously decreasing accretion onto the binary. If detected, such a decrease may unambiguously identify the host galaxy of an ongoing event within a LISA error volume. We illustrate how accretion amplitude and variability evolve as binaries gradually decouple from their circumbinary disks, and where decoupling occurs over the course of binary inspirals in the LISA band. We show that, even when dynamically negligible, gas may leave a detectable imprint on the phase of gravitational waves.
title The Decoupling of Binaries from Their Circumbinary Disks
topic High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Astrophysics of Galaxies
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.16204