Gravitomagnetic Induction during the Coalescence of Compact Binaries

The gravitomagnetic field of a rotating black hole induces matter currents in an inspiraling neutron star. The effect is the gravitational analog of Faraday induction in electromagnetism. The inhomogeneous gravitomagnetic field drives the fluid to differential rotation, in contrast to viscosity, which tends to enforce corotation. The induced vorticity affects the equilibrium structure, stability, and viscous heating of the neutron star. The influence of the gravitomagnetic field on the circulation and spin of a star as measured by local observers is analyzed and its effect on the phase shift in the binary inspiral gravitational wave form is calculated.