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General Relativistic Simulations of Magnetized Plasmas Around Merging Supermassive Black HolesCoalescing supermassive black hole binaries are produced by the mergers of galaxies and are the most powerful sources of gravitational waves accessible to space-based gravitational observatories. Some such mergers may occur in the presence of matter and magnetic fields and hence generate an electromagnetic counterpart. In this paper we present the first general relativistic simulations of magnetized plasma around merging supermassive black holes using the general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic code Whisky. By considering different magnetic field strengths, going from non-magnetically dominated to magnetically dominated regimes, we explore how magnetic fields affect the dynamics of the plasma and the possible emission of electromagnetic signals. In particular we observe, total amplification of the magnetic field of approx 2 orders of magnitude which is driven by the accretion onto the binary and that leads to stronger electromagnetic signals than in the force-free regime where such amplifications are not possible.
Document ID
20120011800
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Preprint (Draft being sent to journal)
Authors
Giacomazzo, Bruno (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Baker, John G. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Miller, M. Coleman (Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
Reynolds, Christopher S. (Maryland Univ. College Park, MD, United States)
van Meter, James R. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 26, 2013
Publication Date
March 26, 2012
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.JA.01104.2012
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: TG-PHY110027
CONTRACT_GRANT: 09-ATP09-0136.
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF AST-1009396
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX09AI75G
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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