Explodability fluctuations of massive stellar cores enable asymmetric compact object mergers such as GW190814

The first three observing runs with Advanced LIGO and Virgo have resulted in the detection of binary black hole (BBH) mergers with highly unequal mass components, which are difficult to reconcile with standard formation paradigms. The most representative of these is GW190814, a highly asymmetric merger between a 23  M-circle dot black hole (BH) and a 2.6  M-circle dot compact object. Here, we explore recent results, suggesting that a sizable fraction of stars with pre-collapse carbon-oxygen core masses above 10  M-circle dot, and extending up to at least 30  M-circle dot, may produce objects inside the so-called lower mass gap that bridges the division between massive pulsars and BHs in Galactic X-ray binaries. We demonstrate that such an explosion landscape would naturally cause a fraction of massive binaries to produce GW190814-like systems instead of symmetric-mass BBHs. We present examples of specific evolutionary channels leading to the formation of GW190814 and GW200210, a 24 + 2.8  M-circle dot merger discovered during the O3b observing run. We estimate the merger-rate density of these events in our scenario to be O �(5%) of the total BBH merger rate. Finally, we discuss the broader implications of this formation channel for compact object populations, and its possible relevance to less asymmetric merger events such as GW200105 and GW200115.

Automated summary

The first three observing runs with Advanced LIGO and Virgo have detected binary black hole mergers with highly unequal mass components, challenging traditional formation paradigms. Researchers propose a new mechanism suggesting that stars with pre-collapse carbon-oxygen core masses above 10 solar masses may produce highly asymmetric binary systems, such as GW190814. Examples of specific evolutionary channels leading to the formation of GW190814 and GW200210 are presented. The estimated merger-rate density of these events in this scenario is around 5% of the total binary black hole merger rate.