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Merging binaries in the Galactic Center: the eccentric Kozai–Lidov mechanism with stellar evolution

Alexander P. StephanDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USASmadar NaozDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USAA. M. GhezDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USAGunther WitzelDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USABreann SitarskiDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USATuan DoDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USABence KocsisInstitute of Physics, Eötvös University, Pázmány P. s. 1/A, Budapest 1117, Hungary

2016en

ABI

Annotatsiya

Most, if not all, stars in the field are born in binary configurations or higher multiplicity systems. In dense stellar environment such as the Galactic Center (GC), many stars are expected to be in binary configurations as well. These binaries form hierarchical triple-body systems, with the massive black hole (MBH) as the third, distant object. The stellar binaries are expected to undergo large-amplitude eccentricity and inclination oscillations via the so-called ‘eccentric Kozai–Lidov' mechanism. These eccentricity excitations, combined with post-main-sequence stellar evolution, can drive the inner stellar binaries to merge. We study the mergers of stellar binaries in the inner 0.1 pc of the GC caused by gravitational perturbations due to the MBH. We run a large set of Monte Carlo simulations that include the secular evolution of the orbits, general relativistic precession, tides and post-main-sequence stellar evolution. We find that about 13 per cent of the initial binary population will have merged after a few Myr and about 29 per cent after a few Gyr. These expected merged systems represent a new class of objects at the GC, and we speculate that they are connected to G2-like objects and the young stellar population.

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Identifikatorlar

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stw1220

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