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arXiv · 1105.1845

Resonant Trapping of Stars by Merging Massive Black Hole Binaries

Naoki Seto·Takayuki Muto
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Abstract

A massive black hole binary might resonantly trap a star (e.g. a white dwarf) and the gas released by its tidal disruption might emit electromagnetic wave signals around the coalescence of the binary. With post-Newtonian equations of motion including gravitational radiation reaction, we numerically studied resonant trappings by black hole binaries with mass ratio 1/100. It is found that 2:1 (and simultaneously 4:2) mean motion resonances of the binaries would be strong and could, in principle, draw small third objects deep into relativistic regimes (e.g. ~10 Schwarzschild radii). The inclinations of the trapped objects could increase significantly and, in some cases, retrograde orbits could be realized eventually.

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Naoki Seto, Takayuki Muto. 2011-05-10. Resonant Trapping of Stars by Merging Massive Black Hole Binaries. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.18988.x

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