Binary black holes in young star clusters: the impact of metallicity. Issue 1 (5th August 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Di Carlo, Ugo N; Mapelli, Michela; Giacobbo, Nicola; Spera, Mario; Bouffanais, Yann; Rastello, Sara; Santoliquido, Filippo; Pasquato, Mario; Ballone, Alessandro; Trani, Alessandro A; Torniamenti, Stefano; Haardt, Francesco
• Is Part Of: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Volume 498:Issue 1(2020)
• Page Start: 495
• Page End: 506
• Publication Date: 2020-08-05
• Subjects: black hole physics -- gravitational waves -- methods: numerical -- binaries: general -- stars: kinematics and dynamics -- galaxies: star clusters: general; Astronomy -- Periodicals; Periodicals; 520.5
• DOI: 10.1093/mnras/staa2286
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0035-8711

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Young star clusters are the most common birthplace of massive stars and are dynamically active environments. Here, we study the formation of black holes (BHs) and binary black holes (BBHs) in young star clusters, by means of 6000 N -body simulations coupled with binary population synthesis. We probe three different stellar metallicities ( Z = 0.02, 0.002, and 0.0002) and two initial-density regimes (density at the half-mass radius ρh ≥ 3.4 × 10 4 and ≥1.5 × 10 2 M⊙ pc −3 in dense and loose star clusters, respectively). Metal-poor clusters tend to form more massive BHs than metal-rich ones. We find ∼6, ∼2, and <1 per cent of BHs with mass m BH > 60 M⊙ at Z = 0.0002, 0.002, and 0.02, respectively. In metal-poor clusters, we form intermediate-mass BHs with mass up to ∼320 M⊙ . BBH mergers born via dynamical exchanges (exchanged BBHs) can be more massive than BBH mergers formed from binary evolution: the former (latter) reach total mass up to ∼140 M⊙ (∼80 M⊙ ). The most massive BBH merger in our simulations has primary mass ∼88 M⊙, inside the pair-instability mass gap, and a mass ratio of ∼0.5. Only BBHs born in young star clusters from metal-poor progenitors can match the masses of GW 170729, the most massive event in first and second observing run (O1 and O2), and those of GW 190412, the first unequal-mass merger. We estimate a local BBH merger rate density ∼110 and ∼55 Gpc −3 yr −1, if we assume that all stars form in loose and dense star clusters, respectively.