Abstract
Abstract Proposed next-generation networks of gravitational-wave observatories include dedicated kilohertz instruments that target neutron star science, such as the proposed Neutron Star Extreme Matter Observatory, NEMO. The original proposal for NEMO highlighted the need for it to exist in a network of gravitational-wave observatories to ensure detection confidence and sky localisation of sources. We show that NEMO-like observatories have significant utility on their own as coincident electromagnetic observations can provide the detection significance and sky localisation. We show that, with a single NEMO-like detector and expected electromagnetic observatories in the late 2020 s and early 2030 s such as the Vera C. Rubin observatory and SVOM, approximately 40% of all binary neutron star mergers detected with gravitational waves could be confidently identified as coincident multimessenger detections. We show that we expect $2^{+10}_{-1}{yr^{-1}}{}$ coincident observations of gravitational-wave mergers with gamma-ray burst prompt emission, $13^{+23}_{-10}{yr^{-1}}{}$ detections with kilonova observations, and $4^{+18}_{-3}{yr^{-1}}{}$ with broadband afterglows and kilonovae, where the uncertainties are 90% confidence intervals arising from uncertainty in current merger-rate estimates. Combined, this implies a coincident detection rate of $14^{+25}_{-11}{yr^{-1}}{}$ out to $300\,\mathrm{Mpc}$ . These numbers indicate significant science potential for a single kilohertz gravitational-wave detector operating without a global network of other gravitational-wave observatories.
Highlights
Multimessenger gravitational-wave astronomy is a new field that already boasts a wealth of new scientific achievements, despite only having one detected event to date
We show that NEMO-like observatories can operate in isolation without a heterogeneous global array because of the presence of electromagnetic telescopes with survey and/or all-sky capabilities that will make routine detections of the electromagnetic counterparts of binary neutron star mergers out to relevant distances
We focus on whether the electromagnetic counterpart of binary neutron star mergers are detectable, and how confidently such signals can be associated with their gravitational-wave counterpart
Summary
Multimessenger gravitational-wave astronomy is a new field that already boasts a wealth of new scientific achievements, despite only having one detected event to date. Current instruments have the capability to detect on-axis bursts well beyond the horizon of NEMO (e.g., Howell et al, 2019), and proposed missions will be more sensitive with equivalent or better sky coverage, and faster slew times These instruments even offer the possibility of detecting binary neutron star pre-cursor emission (e.g., Most & Philippov, 2020; Sridhar et al, 2021; Ascenzi et al, 2021), as well as potential emission from the central engine following the merger (e.g., Sarin & Lasky, 2021). Observatories like the Cherenkov Telescope Array will provide all-sky high energy gamma-ray survey capabilities (Cherenkov Telescope Array Consortium et al, 2019) With all of these detections across multiple wavebands and with high-frequency gravitational waves, the problem becomes: how confidently can we associate any two measurements as coming from the same source?
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