Impact of Accretion Disks on Black Hole Tidal Deformability

Recent research has examined the tidal deformability of black holes surrounded by thin accretion disks, a topic that could significantly impact our understanding of black hole physics and gravitational wave detection. The study, authored by Enrico Cannizzaro, Valerio De Luca, and Paolo Pani, highlights how the tidal Love numbers of black holes—parameters that describe their response to external tidal forces—can be influenced by the presence of an accretion disk.

Traditionally, it is understood that asymptotically flat black holes in vacuum exhibit vanishing Love numbers. However, this new research indicates that the presence of an accretion disk can lead to substantial Love numbers, which may obscure the effects of modified gravity theories and limit the ability to test black hole mimickers through tidal measurements.

The authors further explore the potential for measuring these tidal parameters with next-generation gravitational wave experiments, such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and the Einstein Telescope. Their findings suggest that these parameters could be measured with high precision, providing a powerful tool for probing the environments around coalescing binary systems.

This research is crucial as it not only enhances the theoretical framework surrounding black holes but also has practical implications for future gravitational wave observations. By understanding how accretion disks affect black hole properties, scientists can better interpret the signals detected by gravitational wave observatories, potentially leading to new insights into the nature of black holes and the fundamental laws of physics.

The full paper can be accessed at arXiv:2408.14208.