Non-adiabatic dynamics of eccentric black-hole binaries in post-Newtonian theory

[2502.06952] Non-adiabatic dynamics of eccentric black-hole binaries in post-Newtonian theory Skip to main content Search Submit Donate Log in Search arXiv Press Enter to search · Advanced search General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology arXiv:2502.06952 (gr-qc) [Submitted on 10 Feb 2025 ( v1 ), last revised 10 Apr 2026 (this version, v3)] Title: Non-adiabatic dynamics of eccentric black-hole binaries in post-Newtonian theory Authors: Giulia Fumagalli , Nicholas Loutrel , Davide Gerosa , Matteo Boschini View a PDF of the paper titled Non-adiabatic dynamics of eccentric black-hole binaries in post-Newtonian theory, by Giulia Fumagalli and 3 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) Abstract: Eccentric black-hole binaries are among the most awaited sources of gravitational waves, yet their dynamics lack a consistent framework that provides a detailed and physically robust evolutionary description due to gauge issues. We present a new set of non-orbit-averaged equations, free from radiation-reaction gauge ambiguities, that accurately describe the evolution of orbital elements for eccentric, non-spinning black-hole binaries. We derive these equations by mapping the Keplerian orbital elements to a new set of characteristic parameters using energy and angular momentum definitions combined with near-identity transformations. The resulting framework is valid for arbitrary eccentricities, including parabolic and hyperbolic limits. Using this framework, we demonstrate the strictly observable effects of the non-adiabatic emission of gravitational waves -- characteristic of eccentric binaries -- on the orbital parameters. Furthermore, we assess the regime of validity of the widely used orbit-averaged equations first derived by Peters in 1964. Importantly, their breakdown becomes evident at the first pericenter passage, implying that the validity of the orbit-averaged approximation cannot be inferred solely from binary initial conditions. The formalism we introduce, accurate up to 2.5 post-Newtonian order, aims to provide a robust tool for making reliable astrophysical predictions and accurately interpreting current and future gravitational wave data, paving the way for deeper insights into the dynamics of eccentric black hole binaries. Comments: 18 pages, 7 figures Subjects: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) ; High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE) Cite as: arXiv:2502.06952 [gr-qc] (or arXiv:2502.06952v3 [gr-qc] for this version) https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2502.06952 Focus to learn more arXiv-issued DOI via DataCite Journal reference: Phys. Rev. D 112, 024012 (2025) Related DOI : https://doi.org/10.1103/znmj-6wvt Focus to learn more DOI(s) linking to related resources Submission history From: Giulia Fumagalli [ view email ] [v1] Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:00:04 UTC (4,113 KB) [v2] Wed, 9 Jul 2025 07:46:41 UTC (4,151 KB) [v3] Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:47:12 UTC (4,151 KB) Full-text links: Access Paper: View a PDF of the paper titled Non-adiabatic dynamics of eccentric black-hole binaries in post-Newtonian theory, by Giulia Fumagalli and 3 other authors View PDF HTML (experimental) TeX Source view license Current browse context: gr-qc < prev | next > new | recent | 2025-02 Change to browse by: astro-ph astro-ph.HE References & Citations INSPIRE HEP NASA ADS Google Scholar Semantic Scholar export BibTeX citation Loading... BibTeX formatted citation × loading... 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