Abstract:
　 Formation of binary supermassive black holes in galaxy centers is predicted in the hierarchical galaxy formation model. The coalescence of binary black holes produces the loudest gravitational wave radiation detectable by LISA and PTA. Motivated by the recent success in detecting the electromagnetic flares from tidal disruptions of stellar objects by single supermassive black holes, we investigate the effects of binary black holes on the process of tidal stellar
disruption, and their observational signatures. Using both numerical scattering experiments and analytical calculations, we study the stellar orbits in systems containing binary supermassive black holes, and find that the stellar-disruption rate differs from those in single black hole systems by orders magnitude. Based on such difference, we discuss the prospect of utilizing synoptic sky surveys to constrain the cosmic merger history of supermassive black holes. We also propose observational strategies to discover individual supermassive black hole binaries, especial for those in the regime of strong gravitational-wave radiation.