Modeling kicks from the merger of generic black-hole binaries

Feb, 2008
4 pages
Published in:
  • Astrophys.J.Lett. 682 (2008) L29-L32
e-Print:

Citations per year

200820122016202020240510152025
Abstract: (arXiv)
Recent numerical relativistic results demonstrate that the merger of comparable-mass spinning black holes has a maximum ``recoil kick'' of up to \sim 4000 \kms. However the scaling of these recoil velocities with mass ratio is poorly understood. We present new runs showing that the maximum possible kick perpendicular to the orbital plane does not scale as η2\sim\eta^2 (where η\eta is the symmetric mass ratio), as previously proposed, but is more consistent with η3\sim\eta^3, at least for systems with low orbital precession. We discuss the effect of this dependence on galactic ejection scenarios and retention of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters.