PIRSA:18050015

Extracting information from LIGO/Virgo observations of compact binaries, from determining the final state to constraining properties of black hole mimickers

Johnson-McDaniel, N. (2018). Extracting information from LIGO/Virgo observations of compact binaries, from determining the final state to constraining properties of black hole mimickers. Perimeter Institute. https://pirsa.org/18050015

Johnson-McDaniel, Nathan. Extracting information from LIGO/Virgo observations of compact binaries, from determining the final state to constraining properties of black hole mimickers. Perimeter Institute, May. 03, 2018, https://pirsa.org/18050015 

          @misc{ pirsa_PIRSA:18050015,
            doi = {10.48660/18050015},
            url = {https://pirsa.org/18050015},
            author = {Johnson-McDaniel, Nathan},
            keywords = {Strong Gravity},
            language = {en},
            title = {Extracting information from LIGO/Virgo observations of compact binaries, from determining the final state to constraining properties of black hole mimickers},
            publisher = {Perimeter Institute},
            year = {2018},
            month = {may},
            note = {PIRSA:18050015 see, \url{https://pirsa.org}}
          }

Nathan Johnson-McDaniel University of Cambridge

DOI 10.48660/18050015
Collection
Talk Type Scientific Series
Subject

Abstract

Detections of compact binary coalescences with Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo are now starting to become routine. However, thereis still considerably more information that can be gleaned from these observations, particularly as detector sensitivity and waveform modelsboth improve. We start by describing the methods currently used in LIGO/Virgo data analysis to determine the mass and spin of the remnant black hole of the binary black hole coalescences. These black holes have the most well-measured masses and spins of any stellar-mass black holes observed and comparable or better mass accuracies to Sgr A*. We also describe the method used to obtain a lower bound on the radiated energy of the binary neutron star coalescence GW170817, and discuss further information one can extract from these observations by postprocessing parameter estimation results. We also describe a method for placing constraints on properties of black hole mimickers, such as boson stars or gravastars, if binaries of these objects are to produce the signals identified as coming from binary black holes. We present initial results of the method applied to injections in simulated noise, and as a proof of principle show how it is possible to rule out or constrain the properties of a specific model of boson stars using a given detection.