Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog
Gravitational waves enable tests of general relativity in the highly dynamical and strong-field regime. Using events detected by LIGO-Virgo up to 1 October 2019, we evaluate the consistency of the data with predictions from the theory. We first establish that residuals from the best-fit waveform...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Physical Society (APS)
2022
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139692 |
| _version_ | 1810980816867557376 |
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| author | LIGO Scientific Collaboration Virgo Collaboration |
| author2 | LIGO (Observatory : Massachusetts Institute of Technology) |
| author_facet | LIGO (Observatory : Massachusetts Institute of Technology) LIGO Scientific Collaboration Virgo Collaboration |
| author_sort | LIGO Scientific Collaboration |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Gravitational waves enable tests of general relativity in the highly
dynamical and strong-field regime. Using events detected by LIGO-Virgo up to 1
October 2019, we evaluate the consistency of the data with predictions from the
theory. We first establish that residuals from the best-fit waveform are
consistent with detector noise, and that the low- and high-frequency parts of
the signals are in agreement. We then consider parametrized modifications to
the waveform by varying post-Newtonian and phenomenological coefficients,
improving past constraints by factors of ${\sim}2$; we also find consistency
with Kerr black holes when we specifically target signatures of the
spin-induced quadrupole moment. Looking for gravitational-wave dispersion, we
tighten constraints on Lorentz-violating coefficients by a factor of
${\sim}2.6$ and bound the mass of the graviton to $m_g \leq 1.76 \times
10^{-23} \mathrm{eV}/c^2$ with 90% credibility. We also analyze the properties
of the merger remnants by measuring ringdown frequencies and damping times,
constraining fractional deviations away from the Kerr frequency to $\delta
\hat{f}_{220} = 0.03^{+0.38}_{-0.35}$ for the fundamental quadrupolar mode, and
$\delta \hat{f}_{221} = 0.04^{+0.27}_{-0.32}$ for the first overtone;
additionally, we find no evidence for postmerger echoes. Finally, we determine
that our data are consistent with tensorial polarizations through a
template-independent method. When possible, we assess the validity of general
relativity based on collections of events analyzed jointly. We find no evidence
for new physics beyond general relativity, for black hole mimickers, or for any
unaccounted systematics. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T10:04:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/139692 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T10:04:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | American Physical Society (APS) |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1396922023-01-06T21:10:13Z Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog LIGO Scientific Collaboration Virgo Collaboration LIGO (Observatory : Massachusetts Institute of Technology) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Gravitational waves enable tests of general relativity in the highly dynamical and strong-field regime. Using events detected by LIGO-Virgo up to 1 October 2019, we evaluate the consistency of the data with predictions from the theory. We first establish that residuals from the best-fit waveform are consistent with detector noise, and that the low- and high-frequency parts of the signals are in agreement. We then consider parametrized modifications to the waveform by varying post-Newtonian and phenomenological coefficients, improving past constraints by factors of ${\sim}2$; we also find consistency with Kerr black holes when we specifically target signatures of the spin-induced quadrupole moment. Looking for gravitational-wave dispersion, we tighten constraints on Lorentz-violating coefficients by a factor of ${\sim}2.6$ and bound the mass of the graviton to $m_g \leq 1.76 \times 10^{-23} \mathrm{eV}/c^2$ with 90% credibility. We also analyze the properties of the merger remnants by measuring ringdown frequencies and damping times, constraining fractional deviations away from the Kerr frequency to $\delta \hat{f}_{220} = 0.03^{+0.38}_{-0.35}$ for the fundamental quadrupolar mode, and $\delta \hat{f}_{221} = 0.04^{+0.27}_{-0.32}$ for the first overtone; additionally, we find no evidence for postmerger echoes. Finally, we determine that our data are consistent with tensorial polarizations through a template-independent method. When possible, we assess the validity of general relativity based on collections of events analyzed jointly. We find no evidence for new physics beyond general relativity, for black hole mimickers, or for any unaccounted systematics. 2022-01-25T14:42:11Z 2022-01-25T14:42:11Z 2021 2022-01-25T14:37:33Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139692 2021. "Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog." Physical Review D, 103 (12). en 10.1103/PHYSREVD.103.122002 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. application/pdf American Physical Society (APS) APS |
| spellingShingle | LIGO Scientific Collaboration Virgo Collaboration Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog |
| title | Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog |
| title_full | Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog |
| title_fullStr | Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog |
| title_short | Tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog |
| title_sort | tests of general relativity with binary black holes from the second ligo virgo gravitational wave transient catalog |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/139692 |
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