{
  "abstract": "We use the more than 2000 full numerical-relativity simulations included in the fifth release of the RIT binary-black-hole waveform catalog to perform Bayesian parameter estimation, via the rapid iterative fitting algorithm (RIFT), for the gravitational-wave events GW190521 and GW231123. We revisit GW190521, which has previously been identified as potentially possessing large eccentricity upon entering the detector band at $20~\\mathrm{Hz}$, and confirm this finding: the highest likelihood is obtained from waveforms that are simultaneously eccentric and spin-precessing, yielding $e_{20} =0.207_{-0.147}^{+0.192}$ and $χ_{1,\\perp}=0.717_{-0.406}^{+0.194}$. Applying the same simulation pool to GW231123, we likewise find a preference for spin precession where at 20 Hz $χ_{1,\\perp}=0.678_{-0.462}^{+0.218}$, but in this case with negligible eccentricity at both $10~\\mathrm{Hz}$ and $20~\\mathrm{Hz}$, with $e_{10}=0.097_{-0.073}^{+0.124}$ and $e_{20}=0.056_{-0.045}^{+0.059}$. For comparison, both events are also analyzed using exclusively non-precessing (eccentric and quasi-circular) simulations, which yield lower likelihoods in each case. These results indicate that our approach is capable of discriminating between the effects of eccentricity and spin precession in current gravitational-wave signals. The singled out top peak likelihood NR simulations give estimates of the recoil velocities of the merged final holes of 3965km/s for GW190521, and of 2059km/s for GW231123.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2610.40077",
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Patricia McMillin"
    },
    {
      "name": "Giuseppe Ficarra"
    },
    {
      "name": "Carlos O. Lousto"
    },
    {
      "name": "Richard O'Shaughnessy"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1140zagaqxqcm.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2610.40077",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "1140zagaqxqcm",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.40077",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "gr-qc"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2610.40077",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-29",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1140zagaqxqcm.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:36:23Z",
      "native_id": "2610.40077",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.40077"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:gr-qc",
      "subfield": "gravitation"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Disentangling Spin-induced Precession vs. Eccentricity in GW190521 and GW231123",
  "title_text": "Disentangling Spin-induced Precession vs. Eccentricity in GW190521 and GW231123",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-01T12:20:45Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1140zagaqxqcm",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}