Gravitational Radiation from Triple Star Systems

TL;DR

This paper analyzes gravitational waves emitted by stable triple star systems with three compact objects, providing wave profiles relevant for future gravitational wave detectors like LISA.

Contribution

It offers the first detailed perturbative analysis of gravitational radiation from stable triple systems, including wave profiles for upcoming gravitational astronomy.

Findings

Profiles of gravitational waves from triple systems are characterized.

Stable triple systems can produce detectable gravitational signals.

Results are applicable to future gravitational wave observations.

Abstract

We have studied the main features of the gravitational radiation generated by an astrophysical system constituted of three compact objects attracting one another (only via gravitational interaction) in such a manner that stable orbits do exist. We have limited our analysis to systems that can be treated with perturbative methods. We show the profile of the gravitational waves emitted by such systems. These results can be useful within the framework of the new gravitational astronomy which will be made feasible by means of the new generation of gravitational detectors such as LISA in a no longer far future.