article published yes Lia R. Corrales author Zoltán Haiman author 7c006e8c-cc0d-11ee-8322-cb904ef76f36 Andrew MacFadyen author Finding electromagnetic (EM) counterparts of future gravitational wave (GW) sources would bring rich scientific benefits. A promising possibility, in the case of the coalescence of a supermassive black hole binary (SMBHB), is that the prompt emission from merger-induced disturbances in a supersonic circumbinary disc may be detectable. We follow the post-merger evolution of a thin, zero-viscosity circumbinary gas disc with two-dimensional simulations, using the hydrodynamic code flash. We analyse perturbations arising from the 530 km s−1 recoil of a 106 M⊙ binary, oriented in the plane of the disc, assuming either a non-radiative gamma-law or a pseudo-isothermal equation of state for the gas. We find that a single-armed spiral shock wave forms and propagates outwards, sweeping up ∼40 per cent of the mass of the disc. The morphology and evolution of the perturbations agrees well with those of caustics predicted to occur in a collisionless disc. Assuming that the disc radiates nearly instantaneously to maintain a constant temperature, we estimate the amount of dissipation and corresponding post-merger light curve. The luminosity rises steadily on the time-scale of months, and reaches few ×1043 erg s−1, corresponding to ≈10 per cent of the Eddington luminosity of the central SMBHB. We also analyse the case in which gravitational wave emission results in a 5 per cent mass loss in the merger remnant. The mass loss reduces the shock overdensities and the overall luminosity of the disc by ≈15–20 per cent, without any other major effects on the spiral shock pattern. Oxford University Press2010 eng 0035-8711 1365-296610.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x 4042947-962 yes Corrales LR, Haiman Z, MacFadyen A. 2010. Hydrodynamical response of a circumbinary gas disc to black hole recoil and mass loss. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 404(2), 947–962. L. R. Corrales, Z. Haiman, and A. MacFadyen, “Hydrodynamical response of a circumbinary gas disc to black hole recoil and mass loss,” <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>, vol. 404, no. 2. Oxford University Press, pp. 947–962, 2010. Corrales, Lia R., Zoltán Haiman, and Andrew MacFadyen. “Hydrodynamical Response of a Circumbinary Gas Disc to Black Hole Recoil and Mass Loss.” <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>. Oxford University Press, 2010. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x">https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x</a>. Corrales LR, Haiman Z, MacFadyen A. Hydrodynamical response of a circumbinary gas disc to black hole recoil and mass loss. <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>. 2010;404(2):947-962. doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x">10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x</a> Corrales, Lia R., et al. “Hydrodynamical Response of a Circumbinary Gas Disc to Black Hole Recoil and Mass Loss.” <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>, vol. 404, no. 2, Oxford University Press, 2010, pp. 947–62, doi:<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x">10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x</a>. Corrales, L. R., Haiman, Z., &#38; MacFadyen, A. (2010). Hydrodynamical response of a circumbinary gas disc to black hole recoil and mass loss. <i>Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society</i>. Oxford University Press. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x">https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2010.16324.x</a> L.R. Corrales, Z. Haiman, A. MacFadyen, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 404 (2010) 947–962. 176652024-09-06T07:43:45Z2024-09-25T07:43:38Z