Horizon-AGN shows galaxy and black hole merger rates both rise with stellar mass and fall with redshift, peaking near z=2-3, establishing a direct evolutionary link from galaxy interactions to black hole coalescences.
Rapid Formation of Supermassive Black Hole Binaries in Galaxy Mergers with Gas
3 Pith papers cite this work. Polarity classification is still indexing.
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abstract
Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) are a ubiquitous component of the nuclei of galaxies. It is normally assumed that, following the merger of two massive galaxies, a SMBH binary will form, shrink due to stellar or gas dynamical processes and ultimately coalesce by emitting a burst of gravitational waves. However, so far it has not been possible to show how two SMBHs bind during a galaxy merger with gas due to the difficulty of modeling a wide range of spatial scales. Here we report hydrodynamical simulations that track the formation of a SMBH binary down to scales of a few light years following the collision between two spiral galaxies. A massive, turbulent nuclear gaseous disk arises as a result of the galaxy merger. The black holes form an eccentric binary in the disk in less than a million years as a result of the gravitational drag from the gas rather than from the stars.
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2026 3verdicts
UNVERDICTED 3representative citing papers
Population-level hierarchical analysis shows environmental effects from circumbinary disks are unlikely to bias LISA tests of general relativity for massive black hole binaries in realistic scenarios.
A review outlining radio methods for dual AGN and SMBHB detection and the role of SKAO in enabling comprehensive studies across cosmic time.
citing papers explorer
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One Merge to Rule Them All: From Galaxy Interactions to Black Hole Mergers Using Horizon-AGN
Horizon-AGN shows galaxy and black hole merger rates both rise with stellar mass and fall with redshift, peaking near z=2-3, establishing a direct evolutionary link from galaxy interactions to black hole coalescences.
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Environmental effects vs. modified gravity in the LISA massive black hole binary population
Population-level hierarchical analysis shows environmental effects from circumbinary disks are unlikely to bias LISA tests of general relativity for massive black hole binaries in realistic scenarios.
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Dual AGN and Multiple SMBH Systems in the Era of SKAO
A review outlining radio methods for dual AGN and SMBHB detection and the role of SKAO in enabling comprehensive studies across cosmic time.