Understanding the importance of transient resonances in extreme mass ratio inspirals

Understand

Extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs) occur when a compact object orbits a much larger one, like a solar-mass black hole around a supermassive black hole.

• The orbit has 3 frequencies which evolve through the inspiral.
• If the orbital radial frequency and polar frequency become commensurate, the system passes through a transient resonance.
• Evolving through resonance causes a jump in the evolution of the orbital parameters.