Electromagnetic counterparts to black hole mergers

DOI10.1088/0264-9381/28/9/094021zbMATH Open1216.83023OpenAlexW1993167983MaRDI QIDQ3000855FDOQ3000855

Authors Jeremy D. Schnittman 

Publication date 31 May 2011

Published in Classical and Quantum Gravity (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/1010.3250

zbMATH Keywords

gravitational waveluminosity

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Einstein-Maxwell equations (83C22) Electromagnetic fields in general relativity and gravitational theory (83C50) Black holes (83C57) Observational and experimental questions in relativity and gravitational theory (83B05) Gravitational waves (83C35) Galactic and stellar structure (85A15)

Abstract: During the final moments of a binary black hole (BH) merger, the gravitational wave (GW) luminosity of the system is greater than the combined electromagnetic output of the entire observable universe. However, the extremely weak coupling between GWs and ordinary matter makes these waves very difficult to detect directly. Fortunately, the inspiraling BH system will interact strongly--on a purely Newtonian level--with any surrounding material in the host galaxy, and this matter can in turn produce unique electromagnetic (EM) signals detectable at Earth. By identifying EM counterparts to GW sources, we will be able to study the host environments of the merging BHs, in turn greatly expanding the scientific yield of a mission like LISA.

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Cited In (3)

• Electromagnetic and gravitational signatures of accretion into black holes
• Properties of accretion flows around coalescing supermassive black holes
• Astrophysics of super-massive black hole mergers

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