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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
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2024
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.13632 |
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| _version_ | 1866909437365583872 |
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| author | Aoki, Katsuki Cristofoli, Andrea Huang, Yu-tin |
| author_facet | Aoki, Katsuki Cristofoli, Andrea Huang, Yu-tin |
| contents | We develop an on-shell approach to study black hole mergers. Since, asymptotically, the initial and final states can be described by point-like spinning particles, we propose a massive three-point amplitude for the merger of two Schwarzschild black holes into a Kerr black hole. This three-point amplitude and the spectral function of the final state are fully determined by kinematics and the model-independent input about the black hole merger which is described by a complete absorption process. Using the Kosower-Maybee-O'Connell (KMOC) formalism, we then reproduce the classical conservation laws for momentum and angular momentum after the merger. As an application, we use the proposed three-point to compute the graviton emission amplitude, from which we extract the merger waveform to all orders in spin but leading in gravitational coupling. Up to sub-subleading order in spin, this matches the classical soft graviton theorem. We conclude with a comparison to black hole perturbation theory, which gives complementary amplitudes which are non-perturbative in the gravitational coupling but to leading order in the extreme mass ratio limit. This also highlights how boundary conditions on a Schwarzschild background can be used to rederive the proposed on-shell amplitudes for merger processes. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2410_13632 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | On-Shell Approach to Black Hole Mergers Aoki, Katsuki Cristofoli, Andrea Huang, Yu-tin High Energy Physics - Theory General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology We develop an on-shell approach to study black hole mergers. Since, asymptotically, the initial and final states can be described by point-like spinning particles, we propose a massive three-point amplitude for the merger of two Schwarzschild black holes into a Kerr black hole. This three-point amplitude and the spectral function of the final state are fully determined by kinematics and the model-independent input about the black hole merger which is described by a complete absorption process. Using the Kosower-Maybee-O'Connell (KMOC) formalism, we then reproduce the classical conservation laws for momentum and angular momentum after the merger. As an application, we use the proposed three-point to compute the graviton emission amplitude, from which we extract the merger waveform to all orders in spin but leading in gravitational coupling. Up to sub-subleading order in spin, this matches the classical soft graviton theorem. We conclude with a comparison to black hole perturbation theory, which gives complementary amplitudes which are non-perturbative in the gravitational coupling but to leading order in the extreme mass ratio limit. This also highlights how boundary conditions on a Schwarzschild background can be used to rederive the proposed on-shell amplitudes for merger processes. |
| title | On-Shell Approach to Black Hole Mergers |
| topic | High Energy Physics - Theory General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.13632 |