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arXiv · 1502.04399

Parameter estimation using a complete signal and inspiral templates for low mass binary black holes with Advanced LIGO sensitivity

Hee-Suk Cho
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Abstract

We study the validity of inspiral templates in gravitational wave data analysis with Advanced LIGO sensitivity for low mass binary black holes with total masses of $M \leq 30 Msun$. We mainly focus on the nonspinning system. As our complete inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform model ($IMR$), we assume the phenomenological model, "PhenomA", and define our inspiral template model ($Imerg$) by taking the inspiral part into account from $IMR$ up to the merger frequency (fmerg). We first calculate the {\it true} statistical uncertainties using $IMR$ signals and $IMR$ templates. Next, using $IMR$ signals and $Imerg$ templates, we calculate fitting factors and systematic biases, and compare the biases with the {\it true} statistical uncertainties. We find that the valid criteria of the bank of $Imerg$ templates are obtained as $Mcrit \sim 24 Msun$ for detection (if $M>Mcrit$, the fitting factor is smaller than $0.97$), and $Mcrit \sim 26 Msun$ for parameter estimation (if $M>Mcrit$, the systematic bias is larger than the {\it true} statistical uncertainty where the signal to noise ratio is $20$), respectively. In order to see the dependence on the cutoff frequency of the inspiral waveforms, we define another inspiral model $Iisco$ which is terminated at the innermost-stable-circular-orbit frequency ($fisco<fmerg$). We find that the valid criteria of the bank of $Iisco$ templates are obtained as $Mcrit \sim 15 Msun$ and $\sim 17 Msun$ for detection and parameter estimation, respectively. We investigate the statistical uncertainties for the inspiral template models considering various signal to noise ratios, and compare those to the {\it true} statistical uncertainties. We also consider the aligned-spinning system with fixed mass ratio ($m_1/m_2=3$) and spin ($\chi=0.5$) by employing the recent phenomenological model, "PhenomC".

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Hee-Suk Cho. 2015-02-16. Parameter estimation using a complete signal and inspiral templates for low mass binary black holes with Advanced LIGO sensitivity. https://doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/32/23/235007

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