Abstract
Abstract We present a search for gravitational waves from merging binary neutron stars (BNSs) which have non-negligible eccentricity as they enter the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) observing band. We use the public Advanced LIGO data which covers the period from 2015 through 2017 and contains ∼164 days of LIGO–Hanford and LIGO–Livingston coincident observing time. The search was conducted using matched-filtering using the PyCBC toolkit. We find no significant BNS candidates beyond GW170817, which has previously been reported by searches for binaries in circular orbits. We place a 90% upper limit of ∼1700 mergers Gpc−3 yr−1 for eccentricities ≲0.43 at a dominant-mode gravitational-wave frequency of 10 Hz. The absence of a detection with these data is consistent with theoretical predictions of eccentric BNS merger rates. Using our measured rate we estimate the sensitive volume of future gravitational-wave detectors and compare this to theoretical rate predictions. We find that, in the absence of a prior detection, the rate limits set by six months of Cosmic Explorer observations would constrain all current plausible models of eccentric BNS formation.
Highlights
We present a search for gravitational waves from merging binary neutron stars which have nonnegligible eccentricity as they enter the LIGO observing band
In the absence of a prior detection, the rate limits set by six months of Cosmic Explorer observations would constrain all current plausible models of eccentric binary neutron star formation
With the detections made by the Advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory) (Aasi et al 2015) and Virgo observatories (Acernese et al 2015), we have entered the age of gravitational-wave astronomy
Summary
With the detections made by the Advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory) (Aasi et al 2015) and Virgo observatories (Acernese et al 2015), we have entered the age of gravitational-wave astronomy. During their first (O1) and second (O2) observing runs, the LIGO and Virgo collaborations detected ten binary black hole (BBH) mergers and one binary neutron star (BNS) merger (Abbott et al 2019). The observation of a binary with measurable eccentricity would confirm the existence of a dynamical formation channel. The third LIGO-Virgo observing run is currently underway and is expected to produce dozens more events (Abbott et al 2016a)
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