Motion Of Compact Binary Systems Research Articles

Tidal effects in the equations of motion of compact binary systems to next-to-next-to-leading post-Newtonian order

As a first step in the computation of the orbital phase evolution of spinless compact binaries including tidal effects up to the next-to-next-to-leading (NNL) order, we obtain the equations of motion of those systems and the associated conserved integrals in harmonic coordinates. The internal structure and finite size effects of the compact objects are described by means of an effective Fokker-type action. Our results, complete to the NNL order, correspond to the second-post-Newtonian (2PN) approximation beyond the leading tidal effect itself, already occurring at the 5PN order. They are parametrized by three polarizability (or deformability) coefficients describing the mass quadrupolar, mass octupolar and current quadrupolar deformations of the objects through tidal interactions. Up to the next-to-leading (NL) order, we recover previous results in the literature; up to the NNL order for quasi-circular orbits, we confirm the known tidal effects in the (PN re-expansion of the) effective-one-body (EOB) Hamiltonian. In a future work, we shall derive the tidal contributions to the gravitational-wave flux up to the NNL order, which is the second step required to find the orbital phase evolution.

Ambiguity-free completion of the equations of motion of compact binary systems at the fourth post-Newtonian order

We present the first complete (i.e., ambiguity-free) derivation of the equations of motion of two non-spinning compact objects up to the 4PN order, based on the Fokker action of point particles in harmonic coordinates. The last ambiguity parameter is determined from first principle, by resorting to a matching between the near zone and far zone fields, and a consistent computation of the 4PN tail effect in d dimensions. Dimensional regularization is used throughout for treating IR divergences appearing at 4PN order, as well as UV divergences due to the model of point particles describing compact objects.

Fokker action of nonspinning compact binaries at the fourth post-Newtonian approximation

The Fokker action governing the motion of compact binary systems without spins is derived in harmonic coordinates at the fourth post-Newtonian approximation (4PN) of general relativity. Dimensional regularization is used for treating the local ultraviolet (UV) divergences associated with point particles, followed by a renormalization of the poles into a redefinition of the trajectories of the point masses. Effects at the 4PN order associated with wave tails propagating at infinity are included consistently at the level of the action. A finite part procedure based on analytic continuation deals with the infrared (IR) divergencies at spatial infinity, which are shown to be fully consistent with the presence of near-zone tails. Our end result at 4PN order is Lorentz invariant and has the correct self-force limit for the energy of circular orbits. However, we find that it differs from the recently published result derived within the ADM Hamiltonian formulation of general relativity [T. Damour, P. Jaranowski, and G. Sch\"afer, Phys. Rev. D 89, 064058 (2014)]. More work is needed to understand this discrepancy.

Next-to-next-to-leading order spin–orbit effects in the equations of motion of compact binary systems

We compute next-to-next-to-leading order spin contributions to the post-Newtonian equations of motion for binaries of compact objects, such as black holes or neutron stars. For maximally spinning black holes, those contributions are of third-and-a-half post-Newtonian (3.5 PN) order, improving our knowledge of the equations of motion, already known for non-spinning objects up to this order. Building on previous work, we represent the rotation of the two bodies using a pole–dipole matter stress–energy tensor and iterate Einstein's field equations for a set of potentials parametrizing the metric in harmonic coordinates. Checks of the result include the existence of a conserved energy, the approximate global Lorentz invariance of the equations of motion in harmonic coordinates and the recovery of the motion of a spinning object on a Kerr background in the test-mass limit. We verified the existence of a contact transformation, together with a redefinition of the spin variables that makes our result equivalent to a previously published reduced Hamiltonian, obtained from the Arnowitt–Deser–Misner formalism.

General relativistic dynamics of compact binary systems

The equations of motion of compact binary systems have been derived in the post-Newtonian (PN) approximation of general relativity. The current level of accuracy is 3.5PN order. The conservative part of the equations of motion (neglecting the radiation reaction damping terms) is deducible from a generalized Lagrangian in harmonic coordinates, or equivalently from an ordinary Hamiltonian in ADM coordinates. As an application, we investigate the problem of the dynamical stability of circular binary orbits against gravitational perturbations up to the 3PN order. We find that there is no innermost stable circular orbit or ISCO at the 3PN order for equal masses. To cite this article: L. Blanchet, C. R. Physique 8 (2007).

Third post-Newtonian dynamics of compact binaries: equations of motion in the centre-of-mass frame

The equations of motion of compact binary systems and their associated Lagrangian formulation have been derived in previous works at the third post-Newtonian (3PN) approximation of general relativity in harmonic coordinates. In the present work, we investigate the binary's relative dynamics in the centre-of-mass frame (centre of mass located at the origin of the coordinates). We obtain the 3PN-accurate expressions of the centre-of-mass positions and equations of the relative binary motion. We show that the equations derive from a Lagrangian (neglecting the radiation reaction), from which we deduce the conserved centre-of-mass energy and angular momentum at the 3PN order. The harmonic-coordinates centre-of-mass Lagrangian is equivalent, via a contact transformation of the particles' variables, to the centre-of-mass Hamiltonian in ADM coordinates that is known from the post-Newtonian ADM-Hamiltonian formalism. As an application we investigate the dynamical stability of circular binary orbits at the 3PN order.

A Numerical Study of Normal Modes of Rotating Neutron Star Models by the Cowling Approximation

A numerical method of mode analysis of rapidly rotating relativistic stellar models by the Cowling approximation is applied to rotating neutron stars with realistic equations of state. For selected equations of state, eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of f-modes are numerically solved for stellar models from non-rotating to maximally rotating states. Neutral points of the lower order f-modes are determined as a function of the stellar rotational frequency. As in the polytropic case, we find that the bar mode can have neutral points for models with relatively strong gravity. The rotational frequency at the neutral point increases as the gravitational mass of the model becomes larger. As astrophysical applications of our analysis, we discuss the time scales of gravitational radiation induced instability and the possibility of the resonant excitation of f-modes during inspiraling motion of compact binary systems.

Gravitational field and equations of motion of compact binaries to5/2post-Newtonian order

We derive the gravitational field and equations of motion of compact binary systems up to the $5/2$ post-Newtonian approximation of general relativity (where radiation-reaction effects first appear). The approximate post-Newtonian gravitational field might be used in the problem of initial conditions for the numerical evolution of binary black-hole space-times. On the other hand, we recover the Damour-Deruelle 2.5PN equations of motion of compact binary systems. Our method is based on an expression of the post-Newtonian metric valid for general (continuous) fluids. We substitute into the fluid metric the standard stress-energy tensor appropriate for a system of two pointlike particles. We remove systematically the infinite self-field of each particle by means of the Hadamard finite part regularization.