The dynamical origin of GW190521 in young massive star clusters

TL;DR

This paper explores how the massive black hole merger GW190521 could originate from three-body encounters in young massive star clusters using direct N-body simulations, shedding light on its formation environment.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed simulation study of GW190521-like systems forming through dynamical interactions in young star clusters, a novel approach to understanding their origin.

Findings

GW190521-like systems can form via three-body encounters in YSCs.

Dynamical formation channels are plausible for such massive BBH mergers.

Simulations support dense stellar environments as potential birthplaces.

Abstract

GW190521 is the most massive binary black hole (BBH) merger observed to date. Due to its peculiar properties, the origin of this system is still a matter of debate: several hints may favor a dense stellar environment as a birthplace. Here, we investigate the possible formation of GW190521-like systems via three-body encounters in young massive star clusters (YSCs) by means of direct N-body simulations.