Abstract
Gravitational-wave observations of coalescing binary systems allow for novel tests of the strong-field regime of gravity. Using data from the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center (GWOSC) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors, we place the first constraints on an effective field-theory based extension of General Relativity in which only higher-order curvature terms are added to the Einstein-Hilbert action. We construct gravitational-wave templates describing the quasi-circular, adiabatic inspiral phase of binary black holes in this extended theory of gravity. Then, after explaining how to properly take into account the region of validity of the effective field theory when performing tests of General Relativity, we perform Bayesian model selection using the two lowest-mass binary black-hole events reported to date by LIGO and Virgo -- GW151226 and GW170608 -- and constrain this theory with respect to General Relativity. We find that these data disfavors the appearance of new physics on distance scales around $\sim 150$ km. Finally, we describe a general strategy for improving constraints as more observations will become available with future detectors on the ground and in space.
Highlights
The detections of gravitational waves (GWs) from merging black hole (BH) and neutron-star binaries by the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations [1] provide a novel opportunity to test the highly dynamical, strong-field regime of gravity
Using data from the Gravitational Wave Open Science Center (GWOSC) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors, we place the first constraints on an effective-field-theory based extension of general relativity, in which only higher-order curvature terms are added to the Einstein-Hilbert action
One option is to consider a particular alternative to general relativity (GR), calculate how the differences in the underlying physical theory translate to an observable signal, i.e., the gravitational waveform, and use a detected GW to measure the physical parameters that define that theory
Summary
The detections of gravitational waves (GWs) from merging black hole (BH) and neutron-star binaries by the LIGO and Virgo Collaborations [1] provide a novel opportunity to test the highly dynamical, strong-field regime of gravity. One option is to consider a particular alternative to GR (typically at the level of an action), calculate how the differences in the underlying physical theory translate to an observable signal, i.e., the gravitational waveform, and use a detected GW to measure the physical parameters that define that theory While straightforward, this approach suffers due to its specificity; a plethora of proposals for modifying GR in the high-curvature regime have been considered [9], and testing each individually is highly inefficient. The second option instead considers phenomenological deviations [10,11,12,13,14] from the expected GW signal in GR; it uses observations to constrain these deviations, and maps those bounds to constraints on specific non-GR theories [3,15] This approach does not always provide a clear connection to the fundamental physics/principles one wishes to test. We use natural units G 1⁄4 c 1⁄4 1 except when stated otherwise
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