Black-hole dynamics and their environments

Gangardt, Daria ORCID: 0000-0001-7747-689X (2024). Black-hole dynamics and their environments. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

Gangardt2024PhD.pdf
Text - Accepted Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.
Download (4MB)

Abstract

Black holes are objects that induce extreme astrophysical phenomena. Several avenues exist to explore how black holes form and how they evolve. In this thesis, I explore the multi-faceted spin dynamics of binary black holes (Part I) and then turn to active galactic nuclei, focussing on theoretical models for the discs around supermassive black holes (Part II). Part I presents a new taxonomy for spin pre- cession of binary black holes, and introduces a new scheme for uncovering different spin precession parameters in gravitational-wave events. Five spin precession parameters are introduced in Ch. 3; one of these is the nutational amplitude which is indicative of two misaligned spins in the black hole binary. A system where the nutational amplitude is maximised is then shown to be recoverable by future gravitational wave detectors in Ch. 4, meaning that spin-spin effects will soon be constrainable. In Part II, I give an outline of active galactic nuclei theory and observations. Chapter 6 investigates two active galactic nuclei disc models by Sirko and Goodman (2003) [1] and Thompson et al. (2005) [2]. Migration formulae are applied to these disc models, recovering the presence of migration traps where black hole capture is likely. The thesis is tied together by the want to understand gravitational wave sources better, which I introduce in Ch. 1.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):