Multimessenger parameter estimation of GW170817

Abstract

We combine gravitational wave (GW) and electromagnetic (EM) data to perform a Bayesian parameter estimation of the binary neutron star (NS) merger GW170817. The EM likelihood is constructed from a fit to a large number of numerical relativity simulations which we combine with a lower bound on the mass of the remnant's accretion disk inferred from the modeling of the EM light curve. In comparison with previous works, our analysis yields a more precise determination of the tidal deformability of the binary, for which the EM data provide a lower bound, and of the mass ratio of the binary, with the EM data favoring a smaller mass asymmetry. The 90\% credible interval for the areal radius of a $1.4\ M_\odot$ NS is found to be $12.2^{+1.0}_{-0.8} \pm 0.2\ {\rm km}$ (statistical and systematic uncertainties).