Fusing numerical relativity and deep learning to detect higher-order multipole waveforms from eccentric binary black hole mergers

Abstract

We determine the mass-ratio, eccentricity and binary inclination angles that maximize the contribution of the higher-order waveform multipoles $(\ell, \, |m|)= \{(2,\,2),\, (2,\,1),\, (3,\,3),\, (3,\,2), \, (3,\,1),\, (4,\,4),\, (4,\,3),\, (4,\,2),\,(4,\,1)\}$ for the gravitational wave detection of eccentric binary black hole mergers. We carry out this study using numerical relativity waveforms that describe non-spinning black hole binaries with mass-ratios $1\leq q \leq 10$, and orbital eccentricities as high as $e_0=0.18$ fifteen cycles before merger. For stellar-mass, asymmetric mass-ratio, binary black hole mergers, and assuming LIGO's Zero Detuned High Power configuration, we find that in regions of parameter space where black hole mergers modeled with $\ell=|m|=2$ waveforms have vanishing signal-to-noise ratios, the inclusion of $(\ell, \, |m|)$ modes enables the observation of these sources with signal-to-noise ratios that range between 30\% to 45\% the signal-to-noise ratio of optimally oriented binary black hole mergers modeled with $\ell=|m|=2$ numerical relativity waveforms. Having determined the parameter space where $(\ell, \, |m|)$ modes are important for gravitational wave detection, we construct waveform signals that describe these astrophysically motivate scenarios, and demonstrate that these topologically complex signals can be detected and characterized in real LIGO noise with deep learning algorithms.