Title: Synergies between numerical relativity and an effective-one-body gravitational wave model for eccentric binary black hole systems
Abstract: Orbital eccentricity in compact binaries is considered to be a key tracer of their astrophysical origin, and can be inferred from gravitational-wave observations due to its imprint on the emitted signal. For a robust measurement, accurate waveform models are needed. However, ambiguities in the definition of eccentricity can obfuscate the physical meaning and result in seemingly discrepant measurements. In this work, I will present a suite of 28 new numerical relativity (NR) simulations of eccentric, aligned-spin binary black holes with initial post-Newtonian eccentricities between 0.05 and 0.3. I will discuss strategies for incorporating NR information into the effective-one-body (EOB) framework. EOB is an analytical approach that maps the dynamics of a two body system into the dynamics of a single body orbiting in an effective potential. EOB incorporates eccentricity effects through the inclusion of noncircular terms in the radiation reaction force,  requiring a modification of the radiation reaction with respect to the quasi-circular scenario. We compare EOB and NR energetics and quantify the effects of eccentricity on the dynamics and radiation emitted by the system.