Black hole binaries in shift-symmetric Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity experience a slower merger phase

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Corman, Maxence, Saló, Llibert Aresté, Clough, Katy
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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author Corman, Maxence
Saló, Llibert Aresté
Clough, Katy
author_facet Corman, Maxence
Saló, Llibert Aresté
Clough, Katy
contents In shift-symmetric Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, stationary black holes have a non-vanishing scalar charge. During the inspiral, the phase evolution is modified by several effects, primarily an additional scalar dipole radiation, which enters at -1PN order. This effect accelerates the inspiral when compared to general relativity, when including corrections up to 2PN. Using fully non-linear numerical simulations of quasi-circular, comparable mass binaries, we find that in the late stages the orbital dynamics are altered so that the overall effect is instead a decelerated merger phase for the modified gravity case. We attribute this to a change in the conservative dynamics, and show that at the late inspiral stage more energy must be emitted in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity to induce a given change in frequency. In longer signals, this should lead to a distinctive switch between a faster and slower frequency evolution relative to general relativity as the binary approaches merger. This work suggests we should revisit existing constraints on the theory that are obtained assuming PN approximations apply up to merger, or based on order by order approximations that neglect backreaction effects on the metric, and shows the importance of including non-linear effects that modify the gravitational sector in the strong field regime.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2511_19073
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Black hole binaries in shift-symmetric Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity experience a slower merger phase
Corman, Maxence
Saló, Llibert Aresté
Clough, Katy
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
In shift-symmetric Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, stationary black holes have a non-vanishing scalar charge. During the inspiral, the phase evolution is modified by several effects, primarily an additional scalar dipole radiation, which enters at -1PN order. This effect accelerates the inspiral when compared to general relativity, when including corrections up to 2PN. Using fully non-linear numerical simulations of quasi-circular, comparable mass binaries, we find that in the late stages the orbital dynamics are altered so that the overall effect is instead a decelerated merger phase for the modified gravity case. We attribute this to a change in the conservative dynamics, and show that at the late inspiral stage more energy must be emitted in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity to induce a given change in frequency. In longer signals, this should lead to a distinctive switch between a faster and slower frequency evolution relative to general relativity as the binary approaches merger. This work suggests we should revisit existing constraints on the theory that are obtained assuming PN approximations apply up to merger, or based on order by order approximations that neglect backreaction effects on the metric, and shows the importance of including non-linear effects that modify the gravitational sector in the strong field regime.
title Black hole binaries in shift-symmetric Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity experience a slower merger phase
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.19073