Tidal acceleration of black holes and superradiance
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Tidal effects have long ago locked the Moon in a synchronous rotation with the Earth and progressively increase the Earth-Moon distance. This 'tidal acceleration' hinges on dissipation. Binaries containing black holes may also be tidally accelerated, dissipation being caused by the event horizon-a flexible, viscous one-way membrane. In fact, this process is known for many years under a different guise: superradiance. Here, we provide compelling evidence for a strong connection between tidal acceleration and superradiant scattering around spinning black holes. In general relativity, tidal acceleration is obscured by the gravitational-wave emission. However, when coupling to light scalar degrees of freedom is allowed, an induced dipole moment produces a 'polarization acceleration', which might be orders of magnitude stronger than tidal quadrupolar effects. Consequences for optical and gravitational-wave observations are intriguing and it is not impossible that imprints of such a mechanism have already been observed.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 045011 |
Journal | Classical and Quantum Gravity |
Volume | 30 |
Issue number | 4 |
Number of pages | 13 |
ISSN | 0264-9381 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 21 Feb 2013 |
Externally published | Yes |
- WAVES
Research areas
ID: 300166921