Interplay between numerical relativity and perturbation theory : finite size effects

Gaurav Khanna; Tousif Islam

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Interplay between numerical relativity and perturbation theory : finite size effects

Tousif Islam, Gaurav Khanna

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Submitted 14 Jun 2023

abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review

The authors' main claim We demonstrate that by considering the secondary as a finite size object, the BHPT waveforms closely match NR waveforms.

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arXiv ID2306.08767 (version 2)

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CitationGaurav Khanna, Tousif Islam. "Interplay between numerical relativity and perturbation theory : finite size effects." arXiv:2306.08767 (2023). https://pith.science/paper/OKNURFWJ

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What the abstract itself states, as probabilities: claims first 0.05 · states limitation 0.14 · human participants 0.01 · controlled comparison 0.26 · randomized assignment 0.01 · states quantitative result 0.05 · compares with prior results 0.91 · mentions code or data availability 0.02.

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We investigate the interplay between numerical relativity (NR) and point-particle black hole perturbation theory (ppBHPT) in the comparable mass ratio regime. In the ppBHPT framework, the secondary black hole is treated as a point particle, neglecting its finite size. Our study focuses on addressing the missing finite size effect in the ppBHPT framework and proposing a method for incorporating the size of the secondary into the perturbation theory framework. We demonstrate that by considering the secondary as a finite size object, the BHPT waveforms closely match NR waveforms. Additionally, we revisit the $\alpha$-$\beta$ scaling technique, which was previously introduced by Islam et al, as a means to effectively match ppBHPT waveforms to NR waveforms. We further analyze the scaling procedure and decompose it into different components, attributing them to various effects, including the corrections arising from the finite size of the secondary black hole.

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What the classifier reports for each sentence. The number is the probability it gave the label.
#	sentence	role	the authors' own work	states the main conclusion	strength
s0	We investigate the interplay between numerical relativity (NR) and point-particle black hole perturbation theory (ppBHPT) in the comparable mass ratio regime.	contribution 0.77	0.87	0.04	asserted 0.79
s1	In the ppBHPT framework, the secondary black hole is treated as a point particle, neglecting its finite size.	background 0.95	0.09	0.03	asserted 1.00
s2	Our study focuses on addressing the missing finite size effect in the ppBHPT framework and proposing a method for incorporating the size of the secondary into the perturbation theory framework.	contribution 0.90	0.77	0.14	asserted 0.87
s3	We demonstrate that by considering the secondary as a finite size object, the BHPT waveforms closely match NR waveforms.	result 1.00	0.94	0.70	asserted 1.00
s4	Additionally, we revisit the $\alpha$-$\beta$ scaling technique, which was previously introduced by Islam et al, as a means to effectively match ppBHPT waveforms to NR waveforms.	contribution 0.55	0.60	0.06	asserted 0.90
s5	We further analyze the scaling procedure and decompose it into different components, attributing them to various effects, including the corrections arising from the finite size of the secondary black hole.	contribution 0.53	0.91	0.09	asserted 1.00

What kind of paper the classifier reports this is: method or tool 0.95 · evidence from simulation or computation 1.00.

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Original abstract

We investigate the interplay between numerical relativity (NR) and point-particle black hole perturbation theory (ppBHPT) in the comparable mass ratio regime. In the ppBHPT framework, the secondary black hole is treated as a point particle, neglecting its finite size. Our study focuses on addressing the missing finite size effect in the ppBHPT framework and proposing a method for incorporating the size of the secondary into the perturbation theory framework. We demonstrate that by considering the secondary as a finite size object, the BHPT waveforms closely match NR waveforms. Additionally, we revisit the $\alpha$-$\beta$ scaling technique, which was previously introduced by Islam et al, as a means to effectively match ppBHPT waveforms to NR waveforms. We further analyze the scaling procedure and decompose it into different components, attributing them to various effects, including the corrections arising from the finite size of the secondary black hole.

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References

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Cited by 2 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

The shape of nonlinearity in binary-black-hole dynamics
gr-qc 2026-10 accept novelty 7.0 of 10

The paper identifies the dominant sources of discrepancy between black-hole perturbation theory and numerical relativity across the waveform, showing that inspiral errors are largely dissipative, precessing systems ha...
Searching for intermediate mass ratio binary black hole mergers in the third observing run of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA
gr-qc 2025-07 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

No confident intermediate mass ratio inspirals are found in LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA O3 data, yielding 90% upper limits of roughly 30-1000 Gpc^-3 yr^-1 on their local merger rate and showing higher modes boost search volume b...

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5 arXiv papers cite this in 20 sentences

Each citing sentence is taken from the citing paper's LaTeX source and typed by Pith's classifier. A label appears at probability 0.8 or more (0.95 for support), a contest at 0.7 or more; the quoted words are the citing authors'. How each label was checked · JSON

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Interestingly, the determined value of $α_ℱ^median$ closely aligns with the estimated correction parameter $α_size,ℓ=2(=0.958)$ that accounts for the missing finite size effect of the secondary black hole in BHPT framework [ref] .

Mapping between black-hole perturbation theory and numerical relativity: gravitational-wave energy flux · Estimating $α_ℱ$ and $β_ℱ$ parameters · 0.81

Cites it as support 2 papers

Further analysis provides evidence that the calibration parameters can be attributed to the absence of finite size effects within the ppBHPT framework [ref] .

On the approximate relation between black-hole perturbation theory and numerical relativity · Introduction · 0.97
Assuming that this feature correctly extrapolates to the comparable masses case (as supported by many similar examples in the two-body problem, see e.g. Refs. [ref] ), simulations with a short inspiral should be sufficient to preserve the $A_tail$ scaling with the eccentricity.

Inspiral-inherited ringdown tails · Future developments · 0.99

Cites it as background 1 paper

These works involve developing a fully second-order self-force waveforms for non-spinning binary black holes [ref] , discovery of a simple underlying relation named the $α$-$β$ mapping between BHPT and NR waveforms in the comparable mass regime [ref] , building NR-tuned BHPT waveform model for comparable to extreme mass ratio binary [ref] and performing the first set of high mass ratio NR simulations up to $∼q=1000$ [ref] .

Mapping between black-hole perturbation theory and numerical relativity: gravitational-wave energy flux · Introduction · 0.93

What it cites · 4 sentences without a confident label

Uses the method or tool of 14 papers

To generate the NR waveforms, we utilize the waveform model [ref] , which is a surrogate waveform trained on NR data hybridized with post-Newtonian-corrected effective-one-body inspirals.

Surrogate model of hybridized numerical relativity binary black hole waveforms · Understanding the effect of finite size in ppBHPT waveforms · 0.97
Once the trajectory of the perturbing compact body is fully specified, we solve the inhomogeneous Teukolsky equation in the time-domain while feeding the trajectory information into the particle source-term of the equation [ref] .

Binary black hole merger gravitational waves and recoil in the large mass ratio limit · Point-particle perturbation theory · 0.95
Once the trajectory of the perturbing compact body is fully specified, we solve the inhomogeneous Teukolsky equation in the time-domain while feeding the trajectory information into the particle source-term of the equation [ref] .

A GPU-accelerated mixed-precision WENO method for extremal black hole and gravitational wave physics computations · Point-particle perturbation theory · 0.95

Cites as background 37 papers

These advancements include the development of the surrogate model [ref] and a fully relativistic second-order self-force model [ref] , as well as the expansion of numerical relativity (NR) techniques to simulate BBH mergers with higher mass ratios [ref] .

Study of the Intermediate Mass Ratio Black Hole Binary Merger up to 1000:1 with Numerical Relativity · Introduction · 0.88
These advancements include the development of the surrogate model [ref] and a fully relativistic second-order self-force model [ref] , as well as the expansion of numerical relativity (NR) techniques to simulate BBH mergers with higher mass ratios [ref] .

Targeted large mass ratio numerical relativity surrogate waveform model for GW190814 · Introduction · 0.88
These advancements include the development of the surrogate model [ref] and a fully relativistic second-order self-force model [ref] , as well as the expansion of numerical relativity (NR) techniques to simulate BBH mergers with higher mass ratios [ref] .

Gravitational waveforms for compact binaries from second-order self-force theory · Introduction · 0.88

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