Learning about compact binary merger: The interplay between numerical relativity and gravitational-wave astronomy
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine 04011 (United States)
- Department Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201 (United States)
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70810 (United States)
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2G7 (Canada)
- Beloit College, 700 College Street, Beloit, Wisconsin 53511 (United States)
Activities in data analysis and numerical simulation of gravitational waves have to date largely proceeded independently. In this work we study how waveforms obtained from numerical simulations could be effectively used within the data analysis effort to search for gravitational waves from black hole binaries. To this end we analyze the cross-correlation between different numerical waveforms weighted by the detector's noise. This allow us to propose measures to quantify the accuracy of numerical waveforms for the purpose of data analysis, study how sensitive the analysis is to errors in the waveforms, and propose a way to efficiently encode the waveform's information for its use as a member of the template bank. We estimate that {approx}100 templates (and {approx}10 simulations with different mass ratios) are needed to detect waves from nonspinning binary black holes with total masses in the range 100M{sub {center_dot}}{<=}M{<=}400M{sub {center_dot}} using initial LIGO. Of course, many more simulation runs will be needed to confirm that the correct physics is captured in the numerical evolutions. From this perspective, we also discuss sources of systematic errors in numerical waveform extraction and provide order of magnitude estimates for the computational cost of simulations that could be used to estimate the cost of parameter space surveys. Finally, we discuss what information from near-future numerical simulations of compact binary systems would be most useful for enhancing the detectability of such events with contemporary gravitational-wave detectors and emphasize the role of numerical simulations for the interpretation of eventual gravitational-wave observations.
- OSTI ID:
- 21250023
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review. D, Particles Fields, Vol. 77, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.77.084009; (c) 2008 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0556-2821
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
High-accuracy waveforms for binary black hole inspiral, merger, and ringdown
Intermediate-mass-ratio inspirals in the Einstein Telescope. II. Parameter estimation errors