On the Formation of GW231123 in Population III Star Clusters

Abstract GW231123 is a binary black hole (BBH) merger whose primary component lies within or above the pair-instability mass gap, while the secondary component falls within this gap. The standard theory of stellar evolution is significantly challenged by this event. We investigate the formation of candidate progenitors of GW231123 in Population III (Pop III) star clusters. We find that they could form through stellar mergers, BBH mergers, and mixed mergers. The mass distribution of these candidate progenitors covers the component masses of GW231123. Under our model assumptions, their predicted merger rate density spans the range of 0.001−0.26 Gpc −3 yr −1 , encompassing that of GW231123. These findings suggest that GW231123 may originate from Pop III star clusters. Furthermore, such candidate progenitors are expected to be detectable by future gravitational-wave detectors LISA/Taiji/TianQin/DECIGO/Cosmic Explorer/Einstein Telescope, which would provide valuable insights into the formation scenarios of events like GW231123.