Boson Star-Black Hole mergers: Exploring the parameter space using Numerical Relativity

Boson stars are hypothetical compact objects composed of bosonic particles held together by their self-gravity, with their dynamics and geometry being characterized by a complex scalar field. Although Binary Boson Star (BBS) systems have been studied over the last few years, mixed binaries composed of Boson Stars and another compact object have been mostly left out of these investigations. In this project, we study the binary inspiral and merger of a boson star with a black hole of comparable mass. This system can function as a mimicker of Binary Black Hole (BBH) and Neutron Star-Black Hole (NSBH) systems since it covers a wider parameter space in its mass (allowing for a range of astrophysical masses depending on the scalar field strength), its spin (allowing for spins exceeding the Kerr limit) and its tidal deformability. We carry out Numerical Relativity simulations using the SpEC library, developed by the SXS collaboration, to study these systems close to merger for this wide range of coverage of the parameter space. We search for results which might enable us to distinguish these systems from other binaries with the same initial conditions. We then compare and contrast them with results from BBH and NSBH systems with the same initial conditions, testing their similarity across their evolution. In this talk, I will be giving a progress report on the results obtained from the simulations of non-rotating BSBH systems and discussing the path ahead for simulating their rotating versions.