Memory remains undetected: Updates from the second LIGO/Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog

Moritz Hübner; Paul Lasky; Eric Thrane

doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.104.023004

Memory remains undetected: Updates from the second LIGO/Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog

Moritz Hübner, Paul Lasky, Eric Thrane

School of Physics and Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

43 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The LIGO and Virgo observatories have reported 39 new gravitational-wave detections during the first part of the third observation run, bringing the total to 50. Most of these new detections are consistent with binary black-hole coalescences, making them suitable targets to search for gravitational-wave memory, a nonlinear effect of general relativity. We extend a method developed in previous publications to analyze these events to determine a Bayes factor comparing the memory hypothesis to the no-memory hypothesis. Specifically, we calculate Bayes factors using two waveform models with higher-order modes that allow us to analyze events with extreme mass ratios and precessing spins, both of which have not been possible before. Depending on the waveform model, we find a combined lnBFmem=0.024 or lnBFmem=0.049 in favor of memory. This result is consistent with recent predictions that indicate O(2000) binary black-hole detections will be required to confidently establish the presence or absence of memory.

Original language	English
Article number	023004
Number of pages	7
Journal	Physical Review D
Volume	104
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.104.023004
Publication status	Published - 15 Jul 2021

Access to Document

10.1103/PhysRevD.104.023004

Cite this

@article{575ad3395c014bea87fd6a595fa133c9,

title = "Memory remains undetected: Updates from the second LIGO/Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog",

abstract = "The LIGO and Virgo observatories have reported 39 new gravitational-wave detections during the first part of the third observation run, bringing the total to 50. Most of these new detections are consistent with binary black-hole coalescences, making them suitable targets to search for gravitational-wave memory, a nonlinear effect of general relativity. We extend a method developed in previous publications to analyze these events to determine a Bayes factor comparing the memory hypothesis to the no-memory hypothesis. Specifically, we calculate Bayes factors using two waveform models with higher-order modes that allow us to analyze events with extreme mass ratios and precessing spins, both of which have not been possible before. Depending on the waveform model, we find a combined lnBFmem=0.024 or lnBFmem=0.049 in favor of memory. This result is consistent with recent predictions that indicate O(2000) binary black-hole detections will be required to confidently establish the presence or absence of memory.",

author = "Moritz H{\"u}bner and Paul Lasky and Eric Thrane",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank Ethan Payne, Cecilio Garcia-Quiros, Colm Talbot, Bernard Whiting, and the referees for helpful discussions. This work is supported through Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence Grant No. CE170100004. P. D. L. is supported through ARC Future Fellowship No. FT160100112 and ARC Discovery Project No. DP180103155. This material is based upon work supported by NSFs LIGO Laboratory, which is a major facility fully funded by the National Science Foundation. This work was performed on the OzSTAR national facility at Swinburne University of Technology. The OzSTAR program receives funding in part from the Astronomy National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) allocation provided by the Australian government. This is LIGO Document No. DCC P2100125. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 American Physical Society.",

year = "2021",

month = jul,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevD.104.023004",

language = "English",

volume = "104",

journal = "Physical Review D",

issn = "2470-0010",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Memory remains undetected

T2 - Updates from the second LIGO/Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog

AU - Hübner, Moritz

AU - Lasky, Paul

AU - Thrane, Eric

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank Ethan Payne, Cecilio Garcia-Quiros, Colm Talbot, Bernard Whiting, and the referees for helpful discussions. This work is supported through Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence Grant No. CE170100004. P. D. L. is supported through ARC Future Fellowship No. FT160100112 and ARC Discovery Project No. DP180103155. This material is based upon work supported by NSFs LIGO Laboratory, which is a major facility fully funded by the National Science Foundation. This work was performed on the OzSTAR national facility at Swinburne University of Technology. The OzSTAR program receives funding in part from the Astronomy National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) allocation provided by the Australian government. This is LIGO Document No. DCC P2100125. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 American Physical Society.

PY - 2021/7/15

Y1 - 2021/7/15

N2 - The LIGO and Virgo observatories have reported 39 new gravitational-wave detections during the first part of the third observation run, bringing the total to 50. Most of these new detections are consistent with binary black-hole coalescences, making them suitable targets to search for gravitational-wave memory, a nonlinear effect of general relativity. We extend a method developed in previous publications to analyze these events to determine a Bayes factor comparing the memory hypothesis to the no-memory hypothesis. Specifically, we calculate Bayes factors using two waveform models with higher-order modes that allow us to analyze events with extreme mass ratios and precessing spins, both of which have not been possible before. Depending on the waveform model, we find a combined lnBFmem=0.024 or lnBFmem=0.049 in favor of memory. This result is consistent with recent predictions that indicate O(2000) binary black-hole detections will be required to confidently establish the presence or absence of memory.

AB - The LIGO and Virgo observatories have reported 39 new gravitational-wave detections during the first part of the third observation run, bringing the total to 50. Most of these new detections are consistent with binary black-hole coalescences, making them suitable targets to search for gravitational-wave memory, a nonlinear effect of general relativity. We extend a method developed in previous publications to analyze these events to determine a Bayes factor comparing the memory hypothesis to the no-memory hypothesis. Specifically, we calculate Bayes factors using two waveform models with higher-order modes that allow us to analyze events with extreme mass ratios and precessing spins, both of which have not been possible before. Depending on the waveform model, we find a combined lnBFmem=0.024 or lnBFmem=0.049 in favor of memory. This result is consistent with recent predictions that indicate O(2000) binary black-hole detections will be required to confidently establish the presence or absence of memory.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85109325360

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevD.104.023004

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevD.104.023004

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85109325360

SN - 2470-0010

VL - 104

JO - Physical Review D

JF - Physical Review D

IS - 2

M1 - 023004

ER -

Memory remains undetected: Updates from the second LIGO/Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Putting Einstein to the Test: Probing Gravity with Gravitational Waves

Extreme astrophysics in the age of gravitational waves

ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery

Cite this

Memory remains undetected: Updates from the second LIGO/Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog

Abstract

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

Putting Einstein to the Test: Probing Gravity with Gravitational Waves

Extreme astrophysics in the age of gravitational waves

ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery

Cite this