Gravitational Atoms and Black Hole Binaries

Explore the fascinating world of gravitational atoms and black hole binaries in this comprehensive astrophysics seminar. Delve into the concept of superradiant instabilities and their role in creating clouds of ultralight bosons around rotating black holes, forming "gravitational atoms." Examine the effects of a binary companion on these systems, including induced transitions between bound states (resonances) and transitions from bound to unbound states (ionization). Discover how these processes impact binary dynamics and leave distinctive imprints on emitted gravitational waves, providing valuable information about boson mass and cloud state. Investigate the potential destruction of clouds before binary systems enter the frequency band of future gravitational wave detectors, and learn how this phenomenon affects binary eccentricity and inclination. Gain insights into the statistical analysis of binary black hole populations and its importance in identifying these unique astrophysical phenomena.