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Nonlinear gravitational-wave memory from binary black hole mergers

5 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.

5 Pith papers citing it
abstract

Some astrophysical sources of gravitational waves can produce a "memory effect," which causes a permanent displacement of the test masses in a freely falling gravitational-wave detector. The Christodoulou memory is a particularly interesting nonlinear form of memory that arises from the gravitational-wave stress-energy tensor's contribution to the distant gravitational-wave field. This nonlinear memory contributes a nonoscillatory component to the gravitational-wave signal at leading (Newtonian-quadrupole) order in the waveform amplitude. Previous computations of the memory and its detectability considered only the inspiral phase of binary black hole coalescence. Using an "effective-one-body" (EOB) approach calibrated to numerical relativity simulations, as well as a simple fully analytic model, the Christodoulou memory is computed for the inspiral, merger, and ringdown. The memory will be very difficult to detect with ground-based interferometers, but is likely to be observable in supermassive black hole mergers with LISA out to a redshift of two. Detection of the nonlinear memory could serve as an experimental test of the ability of gravity to "gravitate."

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2026 4 2025 1

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representative citing papers

Gravitational Memory from Hairy Binary Black Hole Mergers

gr-qc · 2026-04-10 · unverdicted · novelty 8.0

Gravitational memory from hairy binary black hole mergers in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity differs from GR by a few percent due to altered nonlinear dynamics, with direct scalar contributions suppressed, and including memory increases GR-sGB mismatch by more than an order of magnitude.

Scalar memory from compact binary coalescences

gr-qc · 2026-05-08 · conditional · novelty 7.0

In Ricci-coupled scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, the change in scalar charge during binary black hole mergers generates a scalar memory contribution that modifies the total memory signal on observable timescales.

Toward claiming a detection of gravitational memory

gr-qc · 2026-01-30 · unverdicted · novelty 6.0

A framework using scale separation in the Isaacson description defines observable gravitational memory rise for compact binary coalescences, providing a basis for hypothesis testing in LISA data.

citing papers explorer

Showing 5 of 5 citing papers.

  • Gravitational Memory from Hairy Binary Black Hole Mergers gr-qc · 2026-04-10 · unverdicted · none · ref 15

    Gravitational memory from hairy binary black hole mergers in scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity differs from GR by a few percent due to altered nonlinear dynamics, with direct scalar contributions suppressed, and including memory increases GR-sGB mismatch by more than an order of magnitude.

  • Scalar memory from compact binary coalescences gr-qc · 2026-05-08 · conditional · none · ref 20

    In Ricci-coupled scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, the change in scalar charge during binary black hole mergers generates a scalar memory contribution that modifies the total memory signal on observable timescales.

  • Toward claiming a detection of gravitational memory gr-qc · 2026-01-30 · unverdicted · none · ref 22 · internal anchor

    A framework using scale separation in the Isaacson description defines observable gravitational memory rise for compact binary coalescences, providing a basis for hypothesis testing in LISA data.

  • Finding Supermassive Black Hole Binary Mergers in Pulsar Timing Array Data astro-ph.HE · 2025-10-06 · conditional · none · ref 43 · internal anchor

    A complete SMBHB waveform model enables unified PTA searches for mergers and memory signals, with parameter recovery shown on simulated data for 10^8-10^10 solar mass systems.

  • Can Oscillatory and Persistent Nonlinearities Be Bridged in Black Hole Ringdown? gr-qc · 2026-03-08 · unverdicted · none · ref 43 · 2 links · internal anchor

    Quadratic quasinormal modes and the memory effect in black hole ringdown are related through bridge coefficients that depend primarily on remnant black hole parameters.