Detecting Merging Black Holes in Dwarf Galaxies

Dwarf galaxies are the most abundant type of galaxy in the universe, and massive black holes may exist within them. Examining cosmological simulations can determine if these massive black holes merge and how often. Previous cosmological hydrodynamic simulations have shown the prediction of massive black hole mergers in dwarf galaxies, but these simulations are based on a simplistic model. Our research is based on calculating the delay time between black hole pairing and merger based on the properties of the black holes and the galaxies. This delay time calculation accounts for dynamical friction and hardening of the binary due to gravitational radiation. If these delay times prove to be short, then the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) may be able to detect many of these black hole mergers in dwarf galaxies. However, if delay times are long, mergers will be rare or not occur at all, resulting in no detections.