Abstract

Recent x-ray and optical observations provide evidence for a population of intermediate mass black holes with masses of tens to thousands of solar masses. Dynamical braking in high stellar density regions may ‘catalyze’ the inspiral of heavy mass objects down to the million-year time scale. Black-hole binaries, with the masses implied by the observations, will plunge below 100 Hz.It may be technologically possible to build ground-based low frequency gravitational wave interferometric detectors optimized to detect these events and install them next to Advanced LIGO (AdL), within the existing LIGO facilities. This additional interferometer, operated coherently with AdL and Virgo, would greatly enhance the effectiveness of the existing interferometers by generating a wealth of triggers for potentially frequent but otherwise undetectable heavy mass inspirals. AdL would study, at higher frequency, the triggered, ultra-relativistic phases (merging and ringdown) of these inspirals.Comparisons are made between the expected detection performances of AdL in its proposed wide band tuning, as well as AdL in its best low frequency tuning, with a low frequency gravitational wave interferometric detector that is mechanically and optically optimized for operation at the lowest possible frequency. Finally, the synergies of tandem operation of AdL and the proposed low frequency interferometer have been considered.

Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call