The era of gravitational wave astronomy, initiated by the groundbreaking detections of LIGO and Virgo, has primarily focused on binary black holes (BBHs) coalescing from quasi-circular (QC) orbits. However, a significant population of BBHs may form through dynamical capture in dense environments like globular clusters or galactic nuclei, leading to mergers with non-negligible eccentricity. The distinct GW signatures from these eccentric mergers, particularly in the final ringdown phase, offer a unique window into these formation channels.
The core of our work involves calibrating analytic ringdown waveform templates against NR data. The first is a simpler model optimized for QC mergers, while the second is a more generalized template designed to accommodate the richer dynamics of non-circular encounters. By performing global fits across a range of binary parameters, we construct robust models that lead the way for more accurate waveform generation and tests of general relativity with future GW detections.
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