New Generic Ringdown Frequencies at the Birth of a Kerr Black Hole

Abstract

We discuss a new ringdown frequency mode for vacuum perturbations of the Kerr black hole. We evolve initial data for the vacuum radial Teukolsky equation using a near horizon approximation, and find a frequency mode analogous to that found in a recent study of radiation generated by a plunging particle close to the Kerr horizon. We discuss our results in the context of that study. We also explore the utility of this mode by fitting a numerical waveform with a combination of the usual quasi-normal modes (QNMs) and the new oscillation frequency.

17 pages, 8 figures. Numerical analysis corrected, references added; reflects published version