Year: 2021
Type: article
Abstract: We show that light scalars can form quasibound states around binaries. In the nonrelativistic regime, these states are formally described by the quantum-mechanical Schr\"odinger equation for a one-electron heteronuclear diatomic molecule. We performed extensive numerical simulations of scalar fields around black hole binaries, showing that a scalar structure condenses around the binary---we dub these states ``gravitational molecules.'' We further show that these are well described by the perturbative, nonrelativistic description.
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Strong, European Commission, European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Instituto Superior Técnico, H2020 European Research Council, H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Awards: G1202639070, G1364038514, G1482582483, G1776605148, G1791885227, G2695825672, Metodologias avançadas de extração de ondas na relatividade numérica e na astronomia de ondas gravitacionais., G3535982825, G5043543010, Matter and strong-field gravity: New frontiers in Einstein’s theory, G5454278309, G6321696238, G6372389526, Equipement d'excellence de calcul intensif de Mesocentres coordonnés - Tremplin vers le calcul petaflopique et l'exascale, Strong Gravity and High-Energy Physics, G676769616, Strong Gravity and High-Energy Physics, G7828638143, G8672925035
OpenAlex ID: W3089365061