Gravitational-wave energy flux for compact binaries through second order in the mass ratio

TL;DR

This paper calculates the gravitational-wave energy flux for compact binaries up to second order in mass ratio, improving modeling accuracy for various binary systems across different regimes.

Contribution

It provides the first second-order self-force calculations of energy flux, aligning with post-Newtonian and numerical relativity results across weak and strong fields.

Findings

Results agree with post-Newtonian calculations in weak fields.

Matches well with numerical relativity simulations for comparable-mass binaries.

Accurately models systems with spinning secondary or primary.

Abstract

Within the framework of self-force theory, we compute the gravitational-wave energy flux through second order in the mass ratio for compact binaries in quasicircular orbits. Our results are consistent with post-Newtonian calculations in the weak field and they agree remarkably well with numerical-relativity simulations of comparable-mass binaries in the strong field. We also find good agreement for binaries with a spinning secondary or a slowly spinning primary. Our results are key for accurately modelling extreme-mass-ratio inspirals and will be useful in modelling intermediate-mass-ratio systems.