Massive black hole binaries from collisional runaways

M. Atakan Gürkan; John M. Fregeau; Frederic A. Rasio

doi:10.1086/503295

Massive black hole binaries from collisional runaways

M. Atakan Gürkan^*, John M. Fregeau, Frederic A. Rasio

^*Corresponding author for this work

Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

84 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent theoretical work has solidified the viability of the collisional runaway scenario in young dense star clusters for the formation of very massive stars (VMSs), which may be precursors to intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs). We present first results from a numerical study of the collisional runaway process in dense star clusters containing primordial binaries. Stellar collisions during binary scattering encounters provide an alternate channel for runaway growth, somewhat independent of direct collisions between single stars. We find that clusters with binary fractions ≳10% yield two VMSs via collisional runaways, presenting the exotic possibility of forming IMBH-IMBH binaries in star clusters. We discuss the implications for gravitational wave observations and the impact on cluster structure.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L39-L42
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	640
Issue number	1 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/503295
State	Published - Mar 20 2006

Keywords

Black hole physics
Globular clusters: general
Gravitational waves
Methods: n-body simulations
Stellar dynamics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

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10.1086/503295

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@article{23c0a74f50984d448ef21bfa0daec16f,

title = "Massive black hole binaries from collisional runaways",

abstract = "Recent theoretical work has solidified the viability of the collisional runaway scenario in young dense star clusters for the formation of very massive stars (VMSs), which may be precursors to intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs). We present first results from a numerical study of the collisional runaway process in dense star clusters containing primordial binaries. Stellar collisions during binary scattering encounters provide an alternate channel for runaway growth, somewhat independent of direct collisions between single stars. We find that clusters with binary fractions ≳10% yield two VMSs via collisional runaways, presenting the exotic possibility of forming IMBH-IMBH binaries in star clusters. We discuss the implications for gravitational wave observations and the impact on cluster structure.",

keywords = "Black hole physics, Globular clusters: general, Gravitational waves, Methods: n-body simulations, Stellar dynamics",

author = "G{\"u}rkan, {M. Atakan} and Fregeau, {John M.} and Rasio, {Frederic A.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Marc Freitag, Shane Larson, and Cole Miller for many fruitful discussions and an anonymous referee for comments that improved the Letter. Some of the simulations were performed on the Tungsten cluster at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. M. A. G. thanks Sabancı University for their hospitality during the finalization of this Letter. This work was supported by NASA grant NNG04G176G.",

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AU - Gürkan, M. Atakan

AU - Fregeau, John M.

AU - Rasio, Frederic A.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Marc Freitag, Shane Larson, and Cole Miller for many fruitful discussions and an anonymous referee for comments that improved the Letter. Some of the simulations were performed on the Tungsten cluster at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications. M. A. G. thanks Sabancı University for their hospitality during the finalization of this Letter. This work was supported by NASA grant NNG04G176G.

PY - 2006/3/20

Y1 - 2006/3/20

N2 - Recent theoretical work has solidified the viability of the collisional runaway scenario in young dense star clusters for the formation of very massive stars (VMSs), which may be precursors to intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs). We present first results from a numerical study of the collisional runaway process in dense star clusters containing primordial binaries. Stellar collisions during binary scattering encounters provide an alternate channel for runaway growth, somewhat independent of direct collisions between single stars. We find that clusters with binary fractions ≳10% yield two VMSs via collisional runaways, presenting the exotic possibility of forming IMBH-IMBH binaries in star clusters. We discuss the implications for gravitational wave observations and the impact on cluster structure.

AB - Recent theoretical work has solidified the viability of the collisional runaway scenario in young dense star clusters for the formation of very massive stars (VMSs), which may be precursors to intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs). We present first results from a numerical study of the collisional runaway process in dense star clusters containing primordial binaries. Stellar collisions during binary scattering encounters provide an alternate channel for runaway growth, somewhat independent of direct collisions between single stars. We find that clusters with binary fractions ≳10% yield two VMSs via collisional runaways, presenting the exotic possibility of forming IMBH-IMBH binaries in star clusters. We discuss the implications for gravitational wave observations and the impact on cluster structure.

KW - Black hole physics

KW - Globular clusters: general

KW - Gravitational waves

KW - Methods: n-body simulations

KW - Stellar dynamics

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U2 - 10.1086/503295

DO - 10.1086/503295

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SP - L39-L42

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 II

ER -

Massive black hole binaries from collisional runaways

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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