Understanding the importance of transient resonances in extreme mass ratio inspirals

Berry, C.P.L. , Cole, R.H., Cañizares, P. and Gair, J.R. (2017) Understanding the importance of transient resonances in extreme mass ratio inspirals. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 840(1), 012052. (doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/840/1/012052)

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Abstract

Extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs) occur when a compact object orbits a much larger one, like a solar-mass black hole around a supermassive black hole. The orbit has 3 frequencies which evolve through the inspiral. If the orbital radial frequency and polar frequency become commensurate, the system passes through a transient resonance. Evolving through resonance causes a jump in the evolution of the orbital parameters. We study these jumps and their impact on EMRI gravitational-wave detection. Jumps are smaller for lower eccentricity orbits; since most EMRIs have small eccentricities when passing through resonances, we expect that the impact on detection will be small. Neglecting the effects of transient resonances leads to a loss of ~ 4% of detectable signals for an astrophysically motivated population of EMRIs.

Item Type:Articles
Additional Information:Conference paper presented at 11th International LISA Symposium, Zurich, Switzerland, 05-09 Sep 2016.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Gair, Dr Jonathan and Berry, Dr Christopher
Authors: Berry, C.P.L., Cole, R.H., Cañizares, P., and Gair, J.R.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Journal Name:Journal of Physics: Conference Series
Publisher:IOP Publishing
ISSN:1742-6588
ISSN (Online):1742-6596
Published Online:01 June 2017
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2017 The Authors
First Published:First published in Journal of Physics: Conference Series 840(1): 012052
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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