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Stellar tidal disruption by a massive binary black hole

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Abstract

The effects of formation of a binary black hole in a dense star cluster are found to have significant effects on the dynamics of the cluster. Tidal destruction of stars captured into bound orbits during the formation of the black hole binary provide a sizeable source of very high temperature thermal radiation as well as a source of radially outward moving clouds of gas. The efficiency of subsequently accreted matter onto the binary components as an energy source is investigated and suggestive evolutionary models of the dynamics of the binary system are presented. Lifetimes of the system are shown to be compatible with contemporary estimates. It is suggested that the high-density cluster core provides a suitable environment for the operation of a number of models for the core of active galactic nuclei.

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  1. Perkins Observatory, The Ohio State and Ohio Wesleyan Universities, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    G. W. Collins II

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Collins, G.W. Stellar tidal disruption by a massive binary black hole. Astrophys Space Sci 73, 355–378 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642415

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00642415

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