A bright electromagnetic counterpart to extreme mass ratio inspirals

Understand

The extreme mass ratio inspiral (EMRI), defined as a stellar-mass compact object inspiraling into a supermassive black hole (SMBH), has been widely argued to be a low-frequency gravitational wave (GW) source.

• EMRIs providing accurate measurements of black hole mass and spin, are one of the primary interests for Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).
• However, it is usually believed that there are no electromagnetic (EM) counterparts to EMRIs.
• Here we show a new formation channel of EMRIs with tidal disruption flares as EM counterparts.