Parametrized tests of the strong-field dynamics of general relativity using gravitational wave signals from coalescing binary black holes: Fast likelihood calculations and sensitivity of the method
Name
PhysRevD.97.044033.pdf
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3.09 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
03a8b04197021719134b61cf09d884dc
Author(s)
Meidam, Jeroen
Tsang, Ka Wa
Goldstein, Janna
Agathos, Michalis
Ghosh, Archisman
Haster, Carl-Johan
Raymond, Vivien
Samajdar, Anuradha
Schmidt, Patricia
Smith, Rory
Date Issued
February 2018
Journal
Physical Review D
Publisher
American Physical Society
Citation
Meidam, Jeroen et al. "Parametrized tests of the strong-field dynamics of general relativity using gravitational wave signals from coalescing binary black holes: Fast likelihood calculations and sensitivity of the method." Physical Review D 97, 4 (February 2018): 044033 © 2018 American Physical Society
Version
Final published version
Abstract
Thanks to the recent discoveries of gravitational wave signals from binary black hole mergers by Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory and Advanced Virgo, the genuinely strong-field dynamics of spacetime can now be probed, allowing for stringent tests of general relativity (GR). One set of tests consists of allowing for parametrized deformations away from GR in the template waveform models and then constraining the size of the deviations, as was done for the detected signals in previous work. In this paper, we construct reduced-order quadratures so as to speed up likelihood calculations for parameter estimation on future events. Next, we explicitly demonstrate the robustness of the parametrized tests by showing that they will correctly indicate consistency with GR if the theory is valid. We also check to what extent deviations from GR can be constrained as information from an increasing number of detections is combined. Finally, we evaluate the sensitivity of the method to possible violations of GR.
MIT Department
LIGO (Observatory : Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
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Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use.
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.044033
