Localization of binary black-hole mergers with known inclination
The localization of stellar-mass binary black hole mergers using gravitational waves is critical in understanding the properties of the binaries' host galaxies, observing possible electromagnetic emission from the mergers, or using them as a cosmological distance ladder. The precision of this l...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
2019
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| Summary: | The localization of stellar-mass binary black hole mergers using
gravitational waves is critical in understanding the properties of the
binaries' host galaxies, observing possible electromagnetic emission from the
mergers, or using them as a cosmological distance ladder. The precision of this
localization can be substantially increased with prior astrophysical
information about the binary system. In particular, constraining the
inclination of the binary can reduce the distance uncertainty of the source.
Here we present the first realistic set of localizations for binary black hole
mergers, including different prior constraints on the binaries' inclinations.
We find that prior information on the inclination can reduce the localization
volume by a factor of 3. We discuss two astrophysical scenarios of interest:
(i) follow-up searches for beamed electromagnetic/neutrino counterparts and
(ii) mergers in the accretion disks of active galactic nuclei. |
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