Black Hole Mergers through Evection Resonances

Abstract Mechanisms have been proposed to enhance the merger rate of stellar-mass black hole binaries, such as Von Zeipel–Lidov–Kozai mechanism (vZLK). However, high inclinations are required in order greatly excite eccentricity and reduce time through vZLK. Here, we propose a novel pathway which compact binaries could merge due increase general, including near coplanar configuration. Specifically, binary migrating an active galactic nucleus disk be captured evection resonance, when precession equals orbital period around supermassive hole. In our study include first-order post-Newtonian well that one or both components binary. Eccentricity is excited sweeps happens only it migrates on timescale 10–100 times libration resonance. Libration decreases mass increases. The excitation can by up factor ?10 3?5 .