Binary Black Hole Mergers from Globular Clusters: the Impact of Globular Cluster Properties

Understand

The dense environment of globular clusters (GCs) can facilitate the formation of binary black holes (BBHs), some of which can merge with gravitational waves (GW) within the age of the Universe.

• We have performed a survey of Monte-Carlo simulations following the dynamical evolution of GCs with different masses, sizes and binary fractions and explored the impact of the host GC properties on the formation of BBH mergers.
• We find that the number of BBH mergers from GCs is determined by the GC's initial mass, size and primordial binary fraction.
• We identify two groups of BBH mergers: a primordial group whose formation does not depend on cluster's dynamics and a dynamical group whose formation is driven by the cluster's dynamical evolution.