Statistical analysis of kicked black holes from TNG300 simulation

TL;DR

This study compares analytical and numerical models of black hole recoil kicks post-merger, revealing that numerical models predict higher escape probabilities and more offset active galactic nuclei, emphasizing the need for numerical approaches.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of analytical and numerical models for black hole recoil, highlighting the importance of numerical simulations for accurate predictions.

Findings

Numerical models predict >40% escape probability in 25% of mergers.

Analytical models underestimate offset AGN at >5 kpc separations.

Numerical models show higher likelihood of black hole ejection.

Abstract

Asymmetric emission of gravitational waves during mergers of black holes (BHs) produces a recoil kick, which can set a newly formed BH on a bound orbit around the center of its host galaxy, or even completely eject it. To study this population of recoiling BHs we extract properties of galaxies with merging BHs from Illustris TNG300 simulation and then employ both analytical and numerical techniques to model unresolved process of BH recoil. This comparative analysis between analytical and numerical models shows that, on cosmological scales, numerically modeled recoiling BHs have a higher escape probability and predict a greater number of offset active galactic nuclei (AGN). BH escaped probability $>40~ \%$ is expected in 25 $\%$ of merger remnants in numerical models, compared to 8$\%$ in analytical models. At the same time, the predicted number of offset AGN at separations $>5$ kpc changes from 58 $\%$ for numerical models to 3 $\%$ for analytical models. Since BH ejections in major merger remnants occur in non-virialized systems, static analytical models cannot provide an accurate description. Thus we argue that numerical models should be used to estimate the expected number density of escaped BHs and offset AGN.