Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes
We show how LIGO is expected to detect coalescing binary black holes at z>1 that are lensed by the intervening galaxy population. Gravitational magnification, μ, strengthens gravitational-wave signals by √μ without altering their frequencies, which if unrecognized leads to an underestimate of the...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Physical Society
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/114520 |
| _version_ | 1826190029874003968 |
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| author | Ng, Ken K. Y. Wong, Kaze W. K. Broadhurst, Tom Li, Tjonnie G. F. |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics Ng, Ken K. Y. Wong, Kaze W. K. Broadhurst, Tom Li, Tjonnie G. F. |
| author_sort | Ng, Ken K. Y. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | We show how LIGO is expected to detect coalescing binary black holes at z>1 that are lensed by the intervening galaxy population. Gravitational magnification, μ, strengthens gravitational-wave signals by √μ without altering their frequencies, which if unrecognized leads to an underestimate of the event redshift and hence an overestimate of the binary mass. High magnifications can be reached for coalescing binaries, because the region of intense gravitational-wave emission during coalescence is so small (∼100 km), permitting very close projections between lensing caustics and gravitational-wave events. Our simulations use the current LIGO event-based mass function and incorporate accurate waveforms convolved with the LIGO power spectral density. Importantly, we include the detection dependence on sky position and orbital orientation, which for the LIGO configuration translates into a wide spread in observed redshifts and chirp masses. Currently, we estimate a detectable rate of lensed events 0.06[superscript +0.02][subscript -0.02] yr[superscript -1] that rises to 5[superscript +5][subscript -3] yr[superscript -1] at LIGO design sensitivity limit, depending on the high redshift rate of black hole coalescence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:33:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/114520 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T08:33:56Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | American Physical Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1145202022-09-23T12:57:22Z Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes Ng, Ken K. Y. Wong, Kaze W. K. Broadhurst, Tom Li, Tjonnie G. F. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics LIGO (Observatory : Massachusetts Institute of Technology) MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Ng, Ken K. Y. We show how LIGO is expected to detect coalescing binary black holes at z>1 that are lensed by the intervening galaxy population. Gravitational magnification, μ, strengthens gravitational-wave signals by √μ without altering their frequencies, which if unrecognized leads to an underestimate of the event redshift and hence an overestimate of the binary mass. High magnifications can be reached for coalescing binaries, because the region of intense gravitational-wave emission during coalescence is so small (∼100 km), permitting very close projections between lensing caustics and gravitational-wave events. Our simulations use the current LIGO event-based mass function and incorporate accurate waveforms convolved with the LIGO power spectral density. Importantly, we include the detection dependence on sky position and orbital orientation, which for the LIGO configuration translates into a wide spread in observed redshifts and chirp masses. Currently, we estimate a detectable rate of lensed events 0.06[superscript +0.02][subscript -0.02] yr[superscript -1] that rises to 5[superscript +5][subscript -3] yr[superscript -1] at LIGO design sensitivity limit, depending on the high redshift rate of black hole coalescence. National Science Foundation (U.S.) Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory 2018-04-03T18:12:40Z 2018-04-03T18:12:40Z 2018-01 2017-03 2018-02-07T20:55:17Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 2470-0010 2470-0029 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/114520 Ng, Ken K. Y., et al. “Precise LIGO Lensing Rate Predictions for Binary Black Holes.” Physical Review D, vol. 97, no. 2, Jan. 2018. © 2018 American Physical Society en http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.97.023012 Physical Review D 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. American Physical Society application/pdf American Physical Society American Physical Society |
| spellingShingle | Ng, Ken K. Y. Wong, Kaze W. K. Broadhurst, Tom Li, Tjonnie G. F. Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes |
| title | Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes |
| title_full | Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes |
| title_fullStr | Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes |
| title_short | Precise LIGO lensing rate predictions for binary black holes |
| title_sort | precise ligo lensing rate predictions for binary black holes |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/114520 |
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