Gravitational Wave Constraints Research Articles

Projected gravitational wave constraints on primordial black hole abundance for extended mass distributions

We investigate the projected minimum constraints set by next-generation gravitational wave detectors Einstein Telescope and LISA on the abundance of primordial black holes relative to dark matter from both resolvable mergers and the stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB) for extended primordial black hole mass distributions. We consider broad power law distributions for a range of negative and positive exponents γ and top-hat distributions (with γ = 0) and use the IMRPhenomXAS waveforms to simulate binary sources up to mass ratios q max = 1000 and redshifts z = 300. Our results suggest that accounting for extended mass distributions have the most apparent impact when considering mergers at high redshifts z > 30, for which the constraint curves have broader mass windows and shift to higher abundances compared to when a monochromatic distribution is assumed; on the other hand, constraints from low-redshift mergers and the SGWB do not change much with the assumed mass distribution. At high redshifts, astrophysical black holes are not expected to contribute significantly, providing possible smoking-gun evidence for PBHs. Constraints derived from LISA and ET observations would complement each other by probing different PBH mass windows and this holds for the extended mass distributions studied.

Bayesian inference of multi-messenger astrophysical data: Joint and coherent inference of gravitational waves and kilonovae

Context. Multi-messenger observations of binary neutron star mergers can provide information on the neutron star’s equation of state (EOS) above the nuclear saturation density by directly constraining the mass-radius diagram. Aims. We present a Bayesian framework for joint and coherent analyses of multi-messenger binary neutron star signals. As a first application, we analyze the gravitational-wave GW170817 and the kilonova (kN) AT2017gfo data. These results are then combined with the most recent X-ray pulsar analyses of PSR J0030+0451 and PSR J0740+6620 to obtain new EOS constraints. Methods. We extend the bajes infrastructure with a joint likelihood for multiple datasets, support for various semi-analytical kN models, and numerical-relativity (NR)-informed relations for the mass ejecta, as well as a technique to include and marginalize over modeling uncertainties. The analysis of GW170817 used the TEOBResumS effective-one-body waveform template to model the gravitational-wave signal. The analysis of AT2017gfo used a baseline multicomponent spherically symmetric model for the kN light curves. Various constraints on the mass-radius diagram and neutron star properties were then obtained by resampling over a set of ten million parameterized EOSs, which was built under minimal assumptions (general relativity and causality). Results. We find that a joint and coherent approach improves the inference of the extrinsic parameters (distance) and, among the intrinsic parameters, the mass ratio. The inclusion of NR-informed relations marks a strong improvement over the case in which an agnostic prior is used on the intrinsic parameters. Comparing Bayes factors, we find that the two observations are better explained by the common source hypothesis only by assuming NR-informed relations. These relations break some of the degeneracies in the employed kN models. The EOS inference folding-in PSR J0952-0607 minimum-maximum mass, PSR J0030+0451 and PSR J0740+6620 data constrains, among other quantities, the neutron star radius to R1.4TOV = 12.30− 0.56+ 0.81 km(R1.4TOV = 13.20− 0.90+ 0.91 km) and the maximum mass to MmaxTOV = 2.28− 0.17+ 0.25M⊙(MmaxTOV = 2.32− 0.19+ 0.30M⊙), where the ST+PDT (PDT-U) analysis of Vinciguerra et al. (2024, ApJ, 961, 62) for PSR J0030+0451 was employed. Hence, the systematics on the PSR J0030+0451 data reduction currently dominate the mass-radius diagram constraints. Conclusions. We conclude that bajes delivers robust analyses in line with other state-of-the-art results in the literature. Strong EOS constraints are provided by pulsars observations, albeit with large systematics in some cases. Current gravitational-wave constraints are compatible with pulsar constraints and can further improve the latter.

Gravitational-wave constraints on scalar-tensor gravity from a neutron star and black-hole binary GW200115

Gravitational-wave constraints on scalar-tensor gravity from a neutron star and black-hole binary GW200115

An Observational Upper Limit on the Rate of Gamma-Ray Bursts with Neutron Star–Black Hole Merger Progenitors

Compact-object binary mergers consisting of one neutron star and one black hole (NSBHs) have long been considered promising progenitors for gamma-ray bursts, whose central engine remains poorly understood. Using gravitational-wave constraints on the population-level NSBH mass and spin distributions we find that at most 20 Gpc−3 yr−1 of gamma-ray bursts in the local universe can have NSBH progenitors.

Gravitational wave constraints on nonbirefringent dispersions of gravitational waves due to Lorentz violations with GWTC-3 events

The standard model extension (SME) is an effective field theory framework that can be used to study the possible violations of Lorentz symmetry in the gravitational interaction. In the SME's gauge invariant linearized gravity sector, the dispersion relation of GWs is modified, resulting in anisotropy, birefringence, and dispersion effects in the propagation of GWs. In this paper, we mainly focus on the non-birefringent and anisotropic dispersion relation in the propagation of GWs due to the violation of Lorentz symmetry. With the modified dispersion relation, we calculate the corresponding modified waveform of GWs generated by the coalescence of compact binaries. We consider the effects from the operators with the lowest mass dimension $d=6$ in the gauge invariant linearized gravity sector of the SME which are expected to have the dominant Lorentz-violating effect on the propagation of GWs. For this case, the Lorentz-violating effects are presented by 25 coefficients and we constrain them independently by the ``maximal-reach" approach. We use 90 high-confidence GW events in the GWTC-3 catalog and use {\tt Bilby}, an open source software, and {\tt Dynest}, a nested sampling package, to perform parameter estimation with the modified waveform. We do not find any evidence of Lorentz violation in the GWs data and give a $90\%$ confidence interval for each Lorentz violating coefficient.

Gravitational wave constraints on extended dark matter structures

We generalize existing constraints on primordial black holes to dark objects with extended sizes using the aLIGO design sensitivity. We show that LIGO is sensitive to dark objects with radius $O(10\ensuremath{-}{10}^{3}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{km})$ if they make up more than $\ensuremath{\sim}O({10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}3})$ of dark matter.

Gravitational wave constraints on spatial covariant gravities

The direct discovery of gravitational waves (GWs) from the coalescence of compact binary components by the LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA Collaboration provides an unprecedented opportunity for exploring the underlying theory of gravity that drives the coalescence process in the strong and highly dynamical field regime of gravity. In this paper, we consider the observational effects of spatial covariant gravities on the propagation of GWs in the cosmological background and obtain the observational constraints on coupling coefficients in the action of spatial covariant gravities from GW observations. We first decompose the GWs into the left- and right-hand circular polarization modes and derive the effects of the spatial covariant gravities on the propagation equation of GWs. We find that these effects can be divided into three classes: 1) frequency-independent effects on GW speed and friction, 2) parity-violating amplitude and velocity birefringences, and 3) a Lorentz-violating damping rate and dispersion of GWs. With these effects, we calculate the corresponding modified waveform of GWs generated by the coalescence of compact binaries. By comparing these new effects with the publicly available posterior samples or results from various tests of gravities with LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA data in the literature, we derive the observational constraints on coupling coefficients of the spatial covariant gravities. These results represent the most comprehensive constraints on the spatial covariant gravities in the literature.

Thermodynamics of Hot Neutron Stars and Universal Relations

Over the last few years, the detection of gravitational waves from binary neutron star systems has rekindled our hopes for a deeper understanding of the unknown nature of ultradense matter. In particular, gravitational wave constraints on the tidal deformability of a neutron star can be translated into constraints on several neutron star properties using a set of universal relations. Apart from binary neutron star mergers, supernova explosions are also important candidates for the detection of multimessenger signals. Such observations may allow us to impose significant constraints on the binding energy of neutron stars. The purpose of the present study is twofold. Firstly, we investigate the agreement of finite temperature equations of state with established universal relations. Secondly, we examine the possible existence of a universal relation between the binding energy and the dimensionless tidal deformability, which are the bulk properties connected to the most promising sources for multimessenger signals. We find that hot equations of state are not always compatible with accepted universal relations. Therefore, the use of such expressions for probing general relativity or imposing constraints on the structure of neutron stars would be inconclusive (when thermal effects are present). Additionally, we show that the binding energy and the dimensionless tidal deformability exhibit a universal trend at least for moderate neutron star masses. The latter allows us to set bounds on the binding energy of a 1.4 M⊙ neutron star using data from the GW170817 event. Finally, we provide a relation between the compactness, the binding energy and the dimensionless tidal deformability of a neutron star that is accurate for cold and hot isentropic equations of state.

Gravitational wave constraints on Lorentz and parity violations in gravity: High-order spatial derivative cases

High-order spatial derivatives are of crucial importance for constructing the low energy effective action of a Lorentz or parity violating theory of quantum gravity. One example is the Ho\ifmmode \check{r}\else \v{r}\fi{}ava-Lifshitz gravity, in which one has to consider at least the sixth-order spatial derivatives in the gravitational action in order to make the theory power-counting renormalizable. In this paper, we consider the Lorentz and parity violating effects on the propagation of GWs due to the fifth and sixth-order spatial derivatives, respectively. For this purpose we calculate the corresponding Lorentz and parity violating waveforms of GWs produced by the coalescence of compact binaries. By using these modified waveforms, we perform the full Bayesian inference with the help of the open source software bilby on the selected GW events of binary black hole (BBH) and binary neutron stars (BNS) merges in the LIGO-Virgo catalogs GWTC-1 and GWTC-2. Overall we do not find any significant evidence of Lorentz and parity violation due to the fifth and sixth-order spatial derivatives and thus place lower bounds on the energy scales ${M}_{\mathrm{LV}}>2.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ for Lorentz violation and ${M}_{\mathrm{PV}}>1.0\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ for parity violation at 90% confidence level. Both constraints represent the first constraints on the fifth- and sixth-order spatial derivative terms respectively in the framework of spatial covariant gravity by using the observational data of GWs.

Reheating in Runaway Inflation Models via the Evaporation of Mini Primordial Black Holes

We investigate the cosmology of mini Primordial Black Holes (PBHs) produced by large density perturbations that collapse during a stiff fluid domination phase. Such a phase can be realized by a runaway-inflaton model that crosses an inflection point or a sharp feature at the last stage of inflation. Mini PBHs evaporate promptly and reheat the early universe. In addition, we examine two notable implications of this scenario: the possible presence of PBH evaporation remnants in galaxies and a non-zero residual potential energy density for the runaway inflaton that might play the role of the dark energy. We specify the parameter space that this scenario can be realized and we find that a transit PBH domination phase is necessary due to gravitational wave (GW) constraints. A distinct prediction of the scenario is a compound GW signal that might be probed by current and future experiments. We also demonstrate our results employing an explicit inflation model.

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory: Forecast Constraints on the Cosmic Curvature with LSST Strong Lenses

Abstract In this paper, we aim to use the DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (DECIGO), a future Japanese space gravitational-wave antenna sensitive to the frequency range between LISA and ground-based detectors, to provide gravitational-wave constraints on the cosmic curvature at z ∼ 5. In the framework of the well-known distance sum rule, the perfect redshift coverage of the standard sirens observed by DECIGO, compared with lensing observations including the source and lens from LSST, makes such cosmological-model-independent tests more natural and general. Focusing on three kinds of spherically symmetric mass distributions for the lensing galaxies, we find that the cosmic curvature is expected to be constrained with the precision of ΔΩ K ∼ 10−2 in the early universe (z ∼ 5.0), improving the sensitivity of ET constraints by about a factor of 10. However, in order to investigate this further, the mass-density profiles of early-type galaxies should be properly taken into account. Specifically, our analysis demonstrates the strong degeneracy between the spatial curvature and the lens parameters, especially the redshift evolution of the power-law lens index parameter. When the extended power-law mass-density profile is assumed, the weakest constraint on the cosmic curvature can be obtained, whereas the addition of DECIGO to the combination of LSST+DECIGO does improve significantly the constraint on the luminosity–density slope and the anisotropy of the stellar velocity dispersion. Therefore, our paper highlights the benefits of synergies between DECIGO and LSST in constraining new physics beyond the standard model, which could manifest themselves through accurate determination of the cosmic curvature.

Probing the progenitors of spinning binary black-hole mergers with long gamma-ray bursts

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts are thought to be associated with the core-collapse of massive, rapidly spinning stars and the formation of black holes. However, efficient angular momentum transport in stellar interiors, currently supported by asteroseismic and gravitational-wave constraints, leads to predominantly slowly-spinning stellar cores. Here, we report on binary stellar evolution and population synthesis calculations, showing that tidal interactions in close binaries not only can explain the observed subpopulation of spinning, merging binary black holes but also lead to long gamma-ray bursts at the time of black-hole formation. Given our model calibration against the distribution of isotropic-equivalent energies of luminous long gamma-ray bursts, we find that ≈10% of the GWTC-2 reported binary black holes had a luminous long gamma-ray burst associated with their formation, with GW190517 and GW190719 having a probability of ≈85% and ≈60%, respectively, being among them. Moreover, given an assumption about their average beaming fraction, our model predicts the rate density of long gamma-ray bursts, as a function of redshift, originating from this channel. For a constant beaming fraction fB ∼ 0.05 our model predicts a rate density comparable to the observed one, throughout the redshift range, while, at redshift z ∈ [0, 2.5], a tentative comparison with the metallicity distribution of observed LGRB host galaxies implies that between 20% to 85% of the observed long gamma-ray bursts may originate from progenitors of merging binary black holes. The proposed link between a potentially significant fraction of observed, luminous long gamma-ray bursts and the progenitors of spinning binary black-hole mergers allows us to probe the latter well outside the horizon of current-generation gravitational wave observatories, and out to cosmological distances.

Gravitational-wave constraints on the GWTC-2 events by measuring the tidal deformability and the spin-induced quadrupole moment

Gravitational waves from compact binary coalescences provide a unique laboratory to test properties of compact objects. As alternatives to the ordinary black holes in general relativity, various exotic compact objects have been proposed. Some of them have largely different values of the tidal deformability and spin-induced quadrupole moment from those of black holes, and their binaries could be distinguished from the binary black hole by using gravitational waves emitted during their inspiral regime, excluding the highly model-dependent merger and ringdown regimes. We reanalyze gravitational waves from low-mass merger events in the GWTC-2, detected by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo. Focusing on the influence of tidal deformability and spin-induced quadrupole moment in the inspiral waveform, we provide model-independent constraints on deviations from the standard binary black hole case. We find that all events that we have analyzed are consistent with the waveform of the binary black hole in general relativity. Bayesian model selection shows that the hypothesis that the binary is composed of exotic compact objects is disfavored by all events.

Improved gravitational-wave constraints on higher-order curvature theories of gravity

Gravitational wave observations of compact binaries allow us to test general relativity (and modifications thereof) in the strong and highly dynamical field regime of gravity. Here, we confront two extensions to general relativity, dynamical Chern-Simons, and Einstein-dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet theories, against the gravitational wave sources from the GWTC-1 and GWTC-2 catalogs by the LIGO-Virgo Collaboration. By stacking the posterior of individual events, we strengthen the constraint on the square root of the coupling parameter in Einstein-dilaton-Gauss-Bonnet gravity to $\sqrt{{\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\mathrm{EdGB}}}<1.7\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{km}$, but we are unable to place meaningful constraints on dynamical Chern-Simons gravity. Importantly, we also show that our bounds are robust to (i) the choice of general-relativity base waveform model, upon which we add modifications, (ii) unknown higher post-Newtonian order terms in the modifications to general relativity, (iii) the small-coupling approximation, and (iv) uncertainties on the nature of the constituent compact objects.

Gravitational wave constraints on the primordial black hole dominated early universe

We calculate the gravitational waves (GWs) induced by the density fluctuations due to the inhomogeneous distribution of primordial black holes (PBHs) in the case where PBHs eventually dominate and reheat the universe by Hawking evaporation. The initial PBH density fluctuations are isocurvature in nature. We find that most of the induced GWs are generated right after evaporation, when the universe transits from the PBH dominated era to the radiation dominated era and the curvature perturbation starts to oscillate wildly. The strongest constraint on the amount of the produced GWs comes from the big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). We improve previous constraints on the PBH fraction and find that it cannot exceed 10-4. Furthermore, this maximum fraction decreases as the mass increases and reaches 10-12 for MPBH∼ 5×108 g, which is the largest mass allowed by the BBN constraint on the reheating temperature. Considering that PBH may cluster above a given clustering scale, we also derive a lower bound on the scale of clustering. Interestingly, the GW spectrum for MPBH∼ 104 -108 g enters the observational window of LIGO and DECIGO and could be tested in the future. Although we focus on the PBH dominated early universe in this paper, our methodology is applicable to any model with early isocurvature perturbation.

Probing fundamental physics with gravitational waves: The next generation

Gravitational wave observations of compact binary mergers are already providing stringent tests of general relativity and constraints on modified gravity. Ground-based interferometric detectors will soon reach design sensitivity and they will be followed by third-generation upgrades, possibly operating in conjunction with space-based detectors. How will these improvements affect our ability to investigate fundamental physics with gravitational waves? The answer depends on the timeline for the sensitivity upgrades of the instruments, but also on astrophysical compact binary population uncertainties, which determine the number and signal-to-noise ratio of the observed sources. We consider several scenarios for the proposed timeline of detector upgrades and various astrophysical population models. Using a stacked Fisher matrix analysis of binary black hole merger observations, we thoroughly investigate future theory-agnostic bounds on modifications of general relativity, as well as bounds on specific theories. For theory-agnostic bounds, we find that ground-based observations of stellar-mass black holes and LISA observations of massive black holes can each lead to improvements of 2-4 orders of magnitude with respect to present gravitational wave constraints, while multiband observations can yield improvements of 1-6 orders of magnitude. We also clarify how the relation between theory-agnostic and theory-specific bounds depends on the source properties.

Gravitational wave constraints on the observable inflation

Gravitational waves (GW) produced in the early Universe contribute to the number of relativistic degrees of freedom, Neff, during Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) . By using the constraints on Neff, we present a new bound on how much the Universe could have expanded between horizon exit of the largest observable scales today and the end of inflation. We discuss the implications on inflationary models and show how the new constraints affect model selection. We also discuss the sensitivities of the current and planned GW observatories such as LIGO and LISA, and show that the constraints they could impose are always less stringent than the BBN bound.

Gravitational-wave Constraints on the Cosmic Opacity at z ∼ 5: Forecast from Space Gravitational-wave Antenna DECIGO

Abstract Since gravitational waves (GWs) propagate freely through a perfect fluid, coalescing compact binary systems as standard sirens allow us to measure the luminosity distance directly and provide distance measurements unaffected by the cosmic opacity. DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (DECIGO) is a future Japanese space gravitational-wave antenna sensitive to frequency range between target frequencies of the Laser Interferometric Space Antenna and ground-based detectors. Combining the predicted future GW observations from DECIGO and three current popular astrophysical probes (H ii regions, SNe Ia Pantheon sample, quasar sample) in electromagnetic domains, one would be able to probe the opacity of the universe at different redshifts. In this paper, we show that the cosmic-opacity parameter can be constrained to a high precision (Δϵ ∼ 10−2) out to high redshifts (z ∼ 5). In order to reconstruct the evolution of cosmic opacity without assuming any particular functional form of it, the cosmic-opacity tests should be applied to individual redshift bins independently. Therefore, we also calculate the optical depth at individual redshifts and averaged τ(z) within redshift bins. Our findings indicate that, compared with the results obtained from the H ii galaxies and Pantheon SNe Ia, there is an improvement in precision when the quasar sample is considered. While nonzero optical depth is statistically significant only for redshift ranges 0 < z < 0.5, 1 < z < 2, and 2.5 < z < 3.5, such a tendency is different from that obtained in the framework of its parameterized form. Therefore, the importance of a cosmic-opacity test without a prescribed phenomenological function should be emphasized.

Gravitational-wave Constraints on the Equatorial Ellipticity of Millisecond Pulsars

Abstract We present a search for continuous gravitational waves from five radio pulsars, comprising three recycled pulsars (PSR J0437−4715, PSR J0711−6830, and PSR J0737−3039A) and two young pulsars: the Crab pulsar (J0534+2200) and the Vela pulsar (J0835−4510). We use data from the third observing run of Advanced LIGO and Virgo combined with data from their first and second observing runs. For the first time, we are able to match (for PSR J0437−4715) or surpass (for PSR J0711−6830) the indirect limits on gravitational-wave emission from recycled pulsars inferred from their observed spin-downs, and constrain their equatorial ellipticities to be less than 10−8. For each of the five pulsars, we perform targeted searches that assume a tight coupling between the gravitational-wave and electromagnetic signal phase evolution. We also present constraints on PSR J0711−6830, the Crab pulsar, and the Vela pulsar from a search that relaxes this assumption, allowing the gravitational-wave signal to vary from the electromagnetic expectation within a narrow band of frequencies and frequency derivatives.

Gravitational-wave constraints on an effective-field-theory extension of general relativity

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.