Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2005-11-11
Phys.Rev.D73:024012,2006
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
32 pages, 16 figures, 2 tables, RevTeX, accepted by PRD
Scientific paper
10.1103/PhysRevD.73.024012
We calculate the first dynamical evolutions of merging black hole-neutron star binaries that construct the combined black hole-neutron star spacetime in a general relativistic framework. We treat the metric in the conformal flatness approximation, and assume that the black hole mass is sufficiently large compared to that of the neutron star so that the black hole remains fixed in space. Using a spheroidal spectral methods solver, we solve the resulting field equations for a neutron star orbiting a Schwarzschild black hole. The matter is evolved using a relativistic, Lagrangian, smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) treatment. We take as our initial data recent quasiequilibrium models for synchronized neutron star polytropes generated as solutions of the conformal thin-sandwich (CTS) decomposition of the Einstein field equations. We are able to construct from these models relaxed SPH configurations whose profiles show good agreement with CTS solutions. Our adiabatic evolution calculations for neutron stars with low compactness show that mass transfer, when it begins while the neutron star orbit is still outside the innermost stable circular orbit, is more unstable than is typically predicted by analytical formalisms. This dynamical mass loss is found to be the driving force in determining the subsequent evolution of the binary orbit and the neutron star, which typically disrupts completely within a few orbital periods. The majority of the mass transferred onto the black hole is accreted promptly; a significant fraction (~30%) of the mass is shed outward as well, some of which will become gravitationally unbound and ejected completely from the system. The remaining portion forms an accretion disk around the black hole, and could provide the energy source for short-duration gamma ray bursts.
Baumgarte Thomas W.
Faber Joshua A.
Rasio Frederic A.
Shapiro Stuart L.
Taniguchi Keisuke
No associations
LandOfFree
The Dynamical Evolution of Black Hole-Neutron Star Binaries in General Relativity: Simulations of Tidal Disruption does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.
If you have personal experience with The Dynamical Evolution of Black Hole-Neutron Star Binaries in General Relativity: Simulations of Tidal Disruption, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and The Dynamical Evolution of Black Hole-Neutron Star Binaries in General Relativity: Simulations of Tidal Disruption will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-408004