General relativistic simulations of the quasi-circular inspiral and merger of charged black holes: GW150914 and fundamental physics implications

Abstract: We perform general-relativistic simulations of charged black holes targeting GW150914. We show that the inspiral is most efficient for detecting black hole charge through gravitational waves and that GW150914 is compatible with having charge-to-mass ratio as high as 0.3. Our work applies to electric and magnetic charge, and to theories with black holes endowed with U(1) (hidden or dark) charges. Using our results we place an upper bound on the deviation from general relativity in the dynamical, strong-field regime of the so-called theory of MOdified Gravity (MOG).