Constraining Scalar-tensor Theories Using Neutron Star–Black Hole Gravitational Wave Events

Abstract

Abstract With the continuous upgrade of detectors, greater numbers of gravitational wave (GW) events have been captured by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration (LVC), which offer a new avenue to test general relativity and explore the nature of gravity. Although various model-independent tests have been performed by LVC in previous works, it is still interesting to ask what constraints can be placed on specific models by current GW observations. In this work, we focus on three models of scalar-tensor theories, the Brans–Dicke theory (BD), the theory with scalarization phenomena proposed by Damour and Esposito-Farèse (DEF), and screened modified gravity (SMG). Of the four possible neutron star–black hole events that have occurred so far, we use two of them to place constraints. The other two are excluded in this work because of possible unphysical deviations. We consider the inspiral range with the cutoff frequency at the innermost stable circular orbit and add a modification of dipole radiation into the waveform template. The scalar charges of neutron stars in the dipole term are derived by solving the Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff equations for different equations of state. The constraints are obtained by performing the full Bayesian inference with the help of the open source software Bilby. The results show that the constraints given by GWs are comparable to those given by pulsar timing experiments for DEF theory, but are not competitive with the current solar system constraints for BD and SMG theories.