Electromagnetic Counterparts to Black Hole Mergers

TL;DR

This paper discusses the potential for detecting electromagnetic signals from black hole mergers by observing their interactions with surrounding matter, which can complement gravitational wave observations and enhance scientific understanding.

Contribution

It highlights the importance of electromagnetic counterparts to black hole mergers and explores how these signals can be used to study host environments, expanding the scientific impact of gravitational wave detections.

Findings

Black hole mergers produce electromagnetic signals through interactions with surrounding matter.

Electromagnetic counterparts can help identify host galaxy environments.

Detecting EM signals enhances the scientific return of gravitational wave observations.

Abstract

During the final moments of a binary black hole (BH) merger, the gravitational wave (GW) luminosity of the system is greater than the combined electromagnetic output of the entire observable universe. However, the extremely weak coupling between GWs and ordinary matter makes these waves very difficult to detect directly. Fortunately, the inspiraling BH system will interact strongly--on a purely Newtonian level--with any surrounding material in the host galaxy, and this matter can in turn produce unique electromagnetic (EM) signals detectable at Earth. By identifying EM counterparts to GW sources, we will be able to study the host environments of the merging BHs, in turn greatly expanding the scientific yield of a mission like LISA.