scholarly journals Binary black hole signatures in polarized light curves

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Massimo Dotti ◽  
Matteo Bonetti ◽  
Daniel J D’Orazio ◽  
Zoltán Haiman ◽  
Luis C Ho
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Gravitational Wave ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Position Angle ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Degree Of Polarization ◽  
Polarization Angle ◽  
Type I ◽  
Massive Black Hole ◽  
The Individual

Abstract Variable active galactic nuclei showing periodic light curves have been proposed as massive black hole binary (MBHB) candidates. In such scenarios the periodicity can be due to relativistic Doppler-boosting of the emitted light. This hypothesis can be tested through the timing of scattered polarized light. Following the results of polarization studies in type I nuclei and of dynamical studies of MBHBs with circumbinary discs, we assume a coplanar equatorial scattering ring, whose elements contribute differently to the total polarized flux, due to different scattering angles, levels of Doppler boost, and line-of-sight time delays. We find that in the presence of a MBHB, both the degree of polarization and the polarization position angle have periodic modulations. The polarization angle oscillates around the semi-minor axis of the projected MBHB orbital ellipse, with a frequency equal either to the binary’s orbital frequency (for large scattering screen radii), or twice this value (for smaller scattering structures). These distinctive features can be used to probe the nature of periodic MBHB candidates and to compile catalogs of the most promising sub-pc MBHBs. The identification of such polarization features in gravitational-wave detected MBHBs would enormously increase the amount of physical information about the sources, allowing the measurement of the individual masses of the binary components, and the orientation of the line of nodes on the sky, even for monochromatic gravitational wave signals.

scholarly journals Optical Photometry of LMXBs: UW CrB (=MS 1603+260) and V1408 Aql (=4U 1957+115)

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-54
Author(s):  
P. A. Mason ◽  
E. L. Robinson ◽  
S. Gomez ◽  
J. V. Segura
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Orbital Period ◽  
Light Curves ◽  
Optical Data ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Type I ◽  
Optical Photometry ◽  
Mean Intensity ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Low Mass

We present new optical observations of V1408 Aql (= 4U 1957+115), the only low mass X-ray binary, black hole candidate known to be in a persistently soft state. We combine new broadband optical photometry with previously published data and derive a precise orbital ephemeris. The optical light curves display sinusoidal variations modulated on the orbital period as well as large night to night changes in mean intensity. The amplitude of the variations increases with mean intensity while maintaining sinusoidal shape. Considering the set of constraints placed by the X-ray and optical data we argue that V1408 Aql may harbor a very low mass black hole. Optical light curves of UW CrB display partial eclipses of the accretion disk by the donor star that vary both in depth and orbital phase. The new eclipses of UW CrB in conjunction with published eclipse timings are well fitted with a linear ephemeris. We derive an upper limit to the rate of change of the orbital period. By including the newly observed type I bursts with published bursts in our analysis, we find that optical bursts are not observed between orbital phases 0.93 and 0.07, i.e. they are not observable during partial eclipses of the disk.

scholarly journals MASSIVE BLACK HOLE BINARY SYSTEMS IN HIERARCHIAL SCENARIO OF STRUCTURE FORMATION

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (08n10) ◽  
pp. 1271-1274
Author(s):  
E. S. PEREIRA ◽  
O. D. MIRANDA
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Gravitational Wave ◽  
Structure Formation ◽  
Binary Systems ◽  
Initial Study ◽  
Massive Black Hole ◽  
Massive Black Holes ◽  
The Press ◽  
Future Extension ◽  
Merger Rate

The hierarchical scenario of structure formation describes how objects like galaxies and galaxy clusters are formed by mergers of small objects. In this scenario, mergers of galaxies can lead to the formation of massive black hole (MBH) binary systems. On the other hand, the merger of two MBH could produce a gravitational wave signal detectable, in principle, by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). In the present work, we use the Press–Schechter formalism, and its extension, to describe the merger rate of haloes which contain massive black holes. Here, we do not study the gravitational wave emission of these systems. However, we present an initial study to determine the number of systems formed via mergers that could permit, in a future extension of this work, the calculation of the signature in gravitational waves of these systems.

scholarly journals The Eccentric and Accelerating Stellar Binary Black Hole Mergers in Galactic Nuclei: Observing in Ground and Space Gravitational-wave Observatories

2021 ◽  
Vol 923 (2) ◽  
pp. 139
Author(s):  
Fupeng Zhang ◽  
Xian Chen ◽  
Lijing Shao ◽  
Kohei Inayoshi
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Gravitational Wave ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Galactic Nuclei ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
High Eccentricity ◽  
Massive Black Hole ◽  
Binary Black Holes ◽  
Binary Black Hole ◽  
Space Observatories

Abstract We study the stellar binary black holes (BBHs) inspiraling/merging in galactic nuclei based on our numerical method GNC. We find that 3%–40% of all newborn BBHs will finally merge due to various dynamical effects. In a five-year mission, up to 104, 105, and ∼100 of BBHs inspiraling/merging in galactic nuclei can be detected with signal-to-noise ration >8 in Advanced LIGO (aLIGO), Einstein/DECIGO, and TianQin/LISA/TaiJi, respectively. Roughly tens are detectable in both LISA/TaiJi/TianQin and aLIGO. These BBHs have two unique characteristics. (1) Significant eccentricities: 1%–3%, 2%–7%, or 30%–90% of them have e i > 0.1 when they enter into aLIGO, Einstein, or space observatories, respectively. Such high eccentricities provide a possible explanation for that of GW190521. Most highly eccentric BBHs are not detectable in LISA/Tianqin/TaiJi before entering into aLIGO/Einstein, as their strain becomes significant only at f GW ≳ 0.1 Hz. DECIGO becomes an ideal observatory to detect those events, as it can fully cover the rising phase. (2) Up to 2% of BBHs can inspiral/merge at distances ≲103 r SW from the massive black hole, with significant accelerations, such that the Doppler phase drift of ∼10–105 of them can be detected with signal-to-noise ratio >8 in space observatories. The energy density of the gravitational-wave backgrounds (GWBs) contributed by these BBHs deviates from the power-law slope of 2/3 at f GW ≲ 1 mHz. The high eccentricity, significant accelerations, and the different profile of the GWB of these sources make them distinguishable, and thus interesting for future gravitational-wave detections and tests of relativities.

scholarly journals Disc and wind in black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070 observed through polarized light during its 2018 outburst

2020 ◽  
Vol 496 (1) ◽  
pp. L96-L100
Author(s):  
Ilia A Kosenkov ◽  
Alexandra Veledina ◽  
Andrei V Berdyugin ◽  
Vadim Kravtsov ◽  
Vilppu Piirola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Position Angle ◽  
Intrinsic Polarization ◽  
Data Set ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Soft State ◽  
Hard State ◽  
Low Mass ◽  
Optical Flux

ABSTRACT We describe the first complete polarimetric data set of the entire outburst of a low-mass black hole X-ray binary system and discuss the constraints for geometry and radiative mechanisms it imposes. During the decaying hard state, when the optical flux is dominated by the non-thermal component, the observed polarization is consistent with the interstellar values in all filters. During the soft state, the intrinsic polarization of the source is small, ∼0.15 per cent in B and V filters, and is likely produced in the irradiated disc. A much higher polarization, reaching ∼0.5 per cent in V and R filters, at a position angle of ∼25○ observed in the rising hard state coincides in time with the detection of winds in the system. This angle coincides with the position angle of the jet. The detected optical polarization is best explained by scattering of the non-thermal (hot flow or jet base) radiation in an equatorial wind.

scholarly journals Detection of orbital motions near the last stable circular orbit of the massive black hole SgrA*

2018 ◽  
Vol 618 ◽  
pp. L10 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
R. Abuter ◽  
A. Amorim ◽  
M. Bauböck ◽  
J. P. Berger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Black Hole ◽  
Circular Orbit ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Kerr Black Hole ◽  
Polarization Angle ◽  
Gravitational Radius ◽  
Massive Black Hole ◽  
Poloidal Magnetic Field ◽  
Continuous Rotation

We report the detection of continuous positional and polarization changes of the compact source SgrA* in high states (“flares”) of its variable near-infrared emission with the near-infrared GRAVITY-Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI) beam-combining instrument. In three prominent bright flares, the position centroids exhibit clockwise looped motion on the sky, on scales of typically 150 μas over a few tens of minutes, corresponding to about 30% the speed of light. At the same time, the flares exhibit continuous rotation of the polarization angle, with about the same 45(±15) min period as that of the centroid motions. Modelling with relativistic ray tracing shows that these findings are all consistent with a near face-on, circular orbit of a compact polarized “hot spot” of infrared synchrotron emission at approximately six to ten times the gravitational radius of a black hole of 4 million solar masses. This corresponds to the region just outside the innermost, stable, prograde circular orbit (ISCO) of a Schwarzschild–Kerr black hole, or near the retrograde ISCO of a highly spun-up Kerr hole. The polarization signature is consistent with orbital motion in a strong poloidal magnetic field.

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