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The last orbit of binary black holes
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology · Submitted 23 Jan 2006
abstract compiled · 2026-09-23 · no language-model review
The authors' main claim We anticipate that the plunge waveform, when starting from quasicircular orbits, has a generic shape that is essentially independent of the initial separation of the binary.
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The abstract, sentence by sentence
We have used our new technique for fully numerical evolutions of orbiting black-hole binaries without excision to model the last orbit and merger of an equal-mass black-hole system. We track the trajectories of the individual apparent horizons and find that the binary completed approximately one and a third orbits before forming a common horizon. Upon calculating the complete gravitational radiation waveform, horizon mass, and spin, we find that the binary radiated 3.2% of its mass and 24% of its angular momentum. The early part of the waveform, after a relatively short initial burst of spurious radiation, is oscillatory with increasing amplitude and frequency, as expected from orbital motion. The waveform then transitions to a typical `plunge' waveform; i.e. a rapid rise in amplitude followed by quasinormal ringing. The plunge part of the waveform is remarkably similar to the waveform from the previously studied `ISCO' configuration. We anticipate that the plunge waveform, when starting from quasicircular orbits, has a generic shape that is essentially independent of the initial separation of the binary.
background contribution method result interpretation main claim
| # | sentence | role | the authors' own work | states the main conclusion | strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s0 | We have used our new technique for fully numerical evolutions of orbiting black-hole binaries without excision to model the last orbit and merger of an equal-mass black-hole system. | contribution 0.56 | 0.97 | 0.09 | asserted 1.00 |
| s1 | We track the trajectories of the individual apparent horizons and find that the binary completed approximately one and a third orbits before forming a common horizon. | result 1.00 | 0.98 | 0.19 | asserted 1.00 |
| s2 | Upon calculating the complete gravitational radiation waveform, horizon mass, and spin, we find that the binary radiated 3.2% of its mass and 24% of its angular momentum. | result 1.00 | 0.98 | 0.28 | asserted 1.00 |
| s3 | The early part of the waveform, after a relatively short initial burst of spurious radiation, is oscillatory with increasing amplitude and frequency, as expected from orbital motion. | result 0.99 | 0.91 | 0.05 | asserted 1.00 |
| s4 | The waveform then transitions to a typical `plunge' waveform; i.e. a rapid rise in amplitude followed by quasinormal ringing. | result 0.99 | 0.86 | 0.08 | asserted 1.00 |
| s5 | The plunge part of the waveform is remarkably similar to the waveform from the previously studied `ISCO' configuration. | result 0.85 | 0.65 | 0.12 | asserted 1.00 |
| s6 | We anticipate that the plunge waveform, when starting from quasicircular orbits, has a generic shape that is essentially independent of the initial separation of the binary. | interpretation 0.99 | 0.13 | 0.34 | speculative 0.60 |
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The paper
Original abstract
We have used our new technique for fully numerical evolutions of orbiting black-hole binaries without excision to model the last orbit and merger of an equal-mass black-hole system. We track the trajectories of the individual apparent horizons and find that the binary completed approximately one and a third orbits before forming a common horizon. Upon calculating the complete gravitational radiation waveform, horizon mass, and spin, we find that the binary radiated 3.2% of its mass and 24% of its angular momentum. The early part of the waveform, after a relatively short initial burst of spurious radiation, is oscillatory with increasing amplitude and frequency, as expected from orbital motion. The waveform then transitions to a typical `plunge' waveform; i.e. a rapid rise in amplitude followed by quasinormal ringing. The plunge part of the waveform is remarkably similar to the waveform from the previously studied `ISCO' configuration. We anticipate that the plunge waveform, when starting from quasicircular orbits, has a generic shape that is essentially independent of the initial separation of the binary.
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References
How the literature uses it
20 arXiv papers cite this in 20 sentences
Papers citing it · 12 sentences without a confident label
Uses its method or tool 2 papers
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In some of the simulations, we utilized the multiple-transition fisheye transformation [ref] so that a uniform computational grid spacing corresponds to physical coordinates with spatially varying resolution.
Binary Black Hole Mergers in Gaseous Environments: "Binary Bondi" and "Binary Bondi-Hoyle-Lyttleton" Accretion · Code Tests · 1.00
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In some of the simulations, we utilized the multiple-transition fisheye transformation [ref] so that a uniform computational grid spacing corresponds to physical coordinates with spatially varying resolution.
Binary black hole mergers in gaseous disks: Simulations in general relativity · Code tests · 0.99
Cites it as background 6 papers
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The recent impressive breakthroughs in numerical relativity (NR) [ref] have given us access to extremely valuable, and reliable, information about the dynamics and radiation of binary black hole coalescence.
Comparing Effective-One-Body gravitational waveforms to accurate numerical data · Introduction · 0.83
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This problem is of fundamental importance within the framework of Einstein's general relativity and has been extensively studied in the literature (see, for example, Refs. [ref] ).
Gravitational waves in massive gravity: Waveforms generated by a particle plunging into a black hole and the excitation of quasinormal modes and quasibound states · Introduction · 0.97
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In the context of gravitational wave physics and with the first direct gravitational-detection of a binary black hole coalescence by LIGO [ref] , the problem we study is of fundamental importance and there exists a large literature concerning it more or less directly (see, e.g., Refs. [ref] ).
Multipolar gravitational waveforms and ringdowns generated during the plunge from the innermost stable circular orbit into a Schwarzschild black hole · Introduction · 0.97
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