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Dicong Liang

Publications and source records attributed to Dicong Liang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Ensemble-Based Residual Tests of GW231123 across Waveform Models

GW231123 is an exceptional gravitational wave event for which different waveform models yield significantly different inferred source parameters. Residual tests provide a direct way to assess whether each waveform model gives an adequate description of the observed signal. In this work, we extend the conventional residual-test methods by subtracting the 100 highest likelihood waveforms, rather than only the maximum likelihood waveform for each model, thereby propagating waveform reconstruction uncertainty into the residual analysis. This ensemble-based approach turns the residual test from a single waveform diagnostic into a robustness test over the local high likelihood waveform manifold. We further perform injection tests to quantify the detectability of cross-model waveform discrepancies in realistic detector noise. The large-scale implementation of these analyses is made possible by the high speed and low computational cost of our residual testing framework, which is based on three goodness-of-fit tests: the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the Anderson-Darling test, and Pearson's chi-squared test.

gr-qc

Asymptotically-flat Black holes in Bumblebee gravity: Exact solutions and Thermodynamics

We construct analytic solutions to the bumblebee gravity theory in static and spherically symmetric spacetimes, where the bumblebee vector field admits only a non-vanishing temporal component. In particular, we identify the parameter space that allows for asymptotically flat black hole solutions. We further investigate the thermodynamic properties of these black holes and obtained the analytic formulas for the $Y$ charge and $X$ potential, which were introduced in the prior work to ensure the Smarr relation and the first law of black hole thermodynamics. Using the new analytic results, we verify the numerical findings reported in early work and uncover multiple cases missed in the previous numerical analysis. These include: (i) an unbounded charge-mass ratio when the non-minimal coupling parameter $\xi$ is larger than $2\kappa$, (ii) the emergence of a traversable wormhole configuration for overcharged solutions with $\xi<0$, (iii) the non-monotonic turning behavior of the Hawking temperature as a function of the charge-mass ratio, and (iv) the presence of two divergent points in the constant-$Y$ heat capacity.

gr-qc

The stealth Kerr solution in the bumblebee gravity

In this paper, we find Kerr solution accompanied with a nontrivial vector field as a solution to one of the simplest vector-tensor theories of gravity, namely the bumblebee model with an intriguing coupling constant between the Ricci curvature tensor and the vector field. We also demonstrate that the accompanied vector field can be generated via the Newman-Janis algorithm from a simple spherical vector field, which together with the Schwarzschild metric constitutes a solution to the same bumblebee model. It is probably the simplest example of a theory and its black-hole solutions for the Newman-Janis algorithm to hold except for general relativity.

gr-qc

Residual Test for the Third Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog

The residual test is commonly used to check the agreement between the gravitational wave signal and the theoretical waveform template. The basic idea of the residual test is to subtract the best-fit waveform from the data and then check whether the remaining data (i.e., the residuals) are consistent with the instrumental noise or not. We apply the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, the Anderson-Darling test and the chi-squared test as goodness-of-fit test to examine the residuals of events in the third gravitational-wave transient catalog and find no statistically significant deviation from the noise. Although our method is sensitive only to the loud events, it does not rely on the cross-correlation between detectors. A single-detector event suffices for our residual analysis, and the test is simple and computationally inexpensive.

gr-qc

Anatomy of parameter-estimation biases in overlapping gravitational-wave signals: detector network

With the significantly improved sensitivity and a wider frequency band, the next-generation gravitational-wave (GW) detectors are anticipated to detect $\sim 10^5$ GW signals per year with durations from hours to days, leading to inevitable signal overlaps in the data stream. While a direct fitting for all signals may be challenging, extracting only one signal will be biased by its overlap with other signals. From this perspective, understanding how the biases arise from the overlapping and their dependence on the signal parameters is crucial for developing effective algorithms. In this work, we extend the anatomy of biases in single-detector cases (Wang et al. 2024) to a detector network. Specifically, we examine how the biases of the chirp mass, symmetric mass ratio, luminosity distance, and coalescence time depend on the source's sky position and orientation, as well as on the coalescence time and phase. We propose a new quantity, named the bias integral, as a useful tool, and establish relationship between the biases in a single detector and that in the entire network, with explicit dependence on extrinsic parameters. Using a 3-detector network as an example, we further explore the potential of a network to suppress biases due to the detectors' different locations and orientations. We find that location generally has a smaller effect than orientation, and becomes significant only when the time separation between signals is below sub-seconds. Through a population-level simulation over the extrinsic parameters, we find that nearly half of overlapping signals will lead to larger biases in the network compared to a single detector, highlighting the need to cope with overlapping biases in a detector network.

gr-qc

Constraining Fermionic Dark Matter with Galactic Neutron Stars

Dark matter (DM) remains one of the most significant open questions in modern physics, with its nature and interactions largely unexplored. In this study, we investigate the behavior of massive fermionic DM particles in the context of neutron stars (NSs), extending prior studies which focused on the bosonic DM. By incorporating the motion of NSs in the Galaxy and considering scenarios with and without DM self-annihilation, we demonstrate their impact on the DM capture rate and the accumulation process inside NSs. Observational data from pulsars in the Milky Way are used to place constraints on DM properties, including the mass and the DM-nucleon scattering cross-section, offering a more comprehensive picture in probing DM interactions in astrophysical environments.

astro-ph.HE

Vetting quark-star models with gravitational waves in the hierarchical Bayesian framework

The recent discovery of gravitational waves (GWs) has opened a new avenue for investigating the equation of state (EOS) of dense matter in compact stars, which is an outstanding problem in astronomy and nuclear physics. In the future, next-generation (XG) GW detectors will be constructed, deemed to provide a large number of high-precision observations. We investigate the potential of constraining the EOS of quark stars (QSs) with high-precision measurements of mass $m$ and tidal deformability $Λ$ from the XG GW observatories. We adopt the widely-used bag model for QSs, consisting of four microscopic parameters: the effective bag constant $B_{\rm eff}$, the perturbative quantum chromodynamics correction parameter $a_4$, the strange quark mass $m_s$, and the pairing energy gap $Δ$. With the help of hierarchical Bayesian inference, for the first time we are able to infer the EOS of QSs combining multiple GW observations. Using the top 25 loudest GW events in our simulation, we find that, the constraints on $B_{\rm eff}$ and $Δ$ are tightened by several times, while $a_4$ and $m_s$ are still poorly constrained. We also study a simplified 2-dimensional (2-d) EOS model which was recently proposed in literature. The 2-d model is found to exhibit significant parameter-estimation biases as more GW events are analyzed, while the predicted $m$-$Λ$ relation remains consistent with the full model.

astro-ph.HE

Unveiling the existence of nontensorial gravitational-wave polarizations from individual supermassive black hole binaries with pulsar timing arrays

With the strong evidence for a gravitational wave (GW) background in the nanohertz frequency band from pulsar timing arrays, the detection of continuous GWs from individual supermassive black hole binaries is already at the dawn. Utilizing continuous GWs to test theories of gravity, especially to test the polarizations of GWs is becoming more and more realistic. In this theoretical study, assuming a detection of signals from individual supermassive binary black holes, we use the null stream to estimate the capability of identifying the nontensorial polarizations of GWs. We consider cases for the nontensorial polarizations where the dipole radiation and quadrupole radiation dominate separately. With a frequentist method, we estimate the threshold of the nontensor-to-tensor relative amplitude above which extra polarizations can be detected. We also conduct Bayesian analysis to estimate parameters with the null stream data. Our treatment provides a data-analysis methodology using the null stream to probe the nontensorial GW polarizations with pulsar timing arrays.

gr-qc

The Impact of Spin in Compact Binary Foreground Subtraction for Estimating the Residual Stochastic Gravitational-wave Background in Ground-based Detectors

Stochastic gravitational-wave (GW) background (SGWB) contains information about the early Universe and astrophysical processes. The recent evidence of SGWB by pulsar timing arrays in the nanohertz band is a breakthrough in the GW astronomy. For ground-based GW detectors, while in data analysis, the SGWB can be masked by loud GW events from compact binary coalescences (CBCs). Assuming a next-generation ground-based GW detector network, we investigate the potential for detecting the astrophysical and cosmological SGWB with non-CBC origins by subtracting recovered foreground signals of loud CBC events. The Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) method is adopted for quick calculation. As an extension of the studies by Sachdev {\it et al.} (2020) and Zhou {\it et al.} (2023), two more essential features are considered. Firstly, we incorporate non-zero aligned or anti-aligned spin parameters in our waveform model. Because of the inclusion of spins, we obtain significantly more pessimistic results than the previous work, where the residual energy density of foreground is even larger than the original CBC foreground. For the most extreme case, we observe that the subtraction results are approximately 10 times worse for binary black hole events and 20 times worse for binary neutron star events than the scenarios without accounting for spins. The degeneracy between the spin parameters and the symmetric mass ratio is strong in the parameter estimation process, and it contributes most to the imperfect foreground subtraction. Secondly, in this work, extreme CBC events with condition numbers of FIMs $c_{\rmΓ}>10^{15}$ are preserved. The impacts of these extreme events on foreground subtraction are discussed. Our results have important implications for assessing the detectability of SGWB from non-CBC origins for ground-based GW detectors.

gr-qc

Dynamic instability analysis for bumblebee black holes: the odd parity

Spherical black-hole (BH) solutions have been found in the bumblebee gravity where a vector field nonminimally couples to the Ricci tensor. We study dynamic (in)stability associated with the gravitational and vector perturbations of odd parity against these bumblebee BHs. Under the plane-wave approximation, we find that bumblebee BHs do not suffer ghost instability, but gradient instability and tachyonic instability exist when the bumblebee charge exceeds certain values. The existence of the instabilities also depends on the nonminimal coupling constant $ξ$ that, there is a minimal value $ξ\sim 4πG$ with $G$ the gravitational constant for the instabilities to happen. The theoretical consideration for bumblebee BH stability turns out to place stronger constraints on the parameter space than those from the recent observations of supermassive BH shadows by the Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration. It is also reminiscent of Penrose's cosmic censorship conjecture since the charge of bumblebee BHs cannot be too large due to the dynamic instabilities. Specifically, for $ξ(ξ-16πG) > 0$, we find that the charge of a bumblebee BH cannot be larger than its mass.

gr-qc

Probing nontensorial gravitational waves with a next-generation ground-based detector network

In General Relativity, there are only two polarizations for gravitational waves. However, up to six polarizations are possible in a generic metric theory of gravity. Therefore, measuring the polarization content of gravitational waves provides an efficient way to test theories of gravity. We analyze the sensitivity of a next-generation ground-based detector network to nontensorial polarizations. We present our method to localize GW signals in the time-frequency domain and construct the model-independent null stream for events with known sky locations. We obtain results based on simulations of binary neutron star mergers in a six-detector network. For a single event at a luminosity distance $D_L=100 \, {\rm Mpc}$, at $5σ$ confidence, the smallest amplitude for detection of scalar and vector modes relative to tensor modes are respectively $A_{s}=0.045 $ and $A_{v}=0.014 $. For multiple events in an averaged observing run of 10 years, the detection limits at $5σ$ confidence are $A_s=0.05$ and $A_v=0.02$. If we are fortunate, a few strong events might significantly improve the limits.

gr-qc

Impact of overlapping signals on parameterized post-Newtonian coefficients in tests of gravity

Gravitational waves have been instrumental in providing deep insights into the nature of gravity. Next-generation detectors, such as the Einstein Telescope, are predicted to have a higher detection rate given the increased sensitivity and lower cut-off frequency. However, this increased sensitivity raises challenges concerning parameter estimation due to the foreseeable overlap of signals from multiple sources. Overlapping signals (OSs), if not properly identified, may introduce biases in estimating post-Newtonian (PN) coefficients in parameterized tests of general relativity (GR). We investigate how OSs affect $-1$PN to 2PN terms in parameterized GR tests, examining their potential to falsely suggest GR deviations. We estimate the prevalence of such misleading signals in next-generation detectors, and their collective influence on GR tests. We compare the effects of OSs on coefficients at different PN orders, concluding that overall the 1PN coefficient suffers the most. Our findings also reveal that while a non-negligible portion of OSs exhibit biases in PN coefficients that might individually prefer to conclude deviations from GR, collectively, the direction to deviate is random and a statistical combination will still be in favor of GR.

astro-ph.IM

Anatomy of parameter-estimation biases in overlapping gravitational-wave signals

In future gravitational-wave (GW) detections, a large number of overlapping GW signals will appear in the data stream of detectors. When extracting information from one signal, the presence of other signals can cause large parameter estimation biases. Using the Fisher matrix (FM), we develop a bias analysis procedure to investigate how each parameter of other signals affects the inference biases. Taking two-signal overlapping as an example, we show detailedly and quantitatively that the biases essentially originate from the overlapping of the frequency evolution. Furthermore, we find that the behaviors of the correlation coefficients between the parameters of the two signals are similar to the biases. Both of them can be used as characterization of the influence between signals. We also corroborate the bias results of the FM method with full Bayesian analysis. Our results can provide guidance for the development of new PE algorithms on overlapping signals, and the analysis methodology has the potential to generalize.

astro-ph.IM

Probing the vector charge of Sagittarius A* with pulsar timing

Timing a pulsar orbiting around Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) can provide us with a unique opportunity of testing gravity theories. We investigate the detectability of a vector charge carried by the Sgr A* black hole (BH) in the bumblebee gravity model with simulated future pulsar timing observations. The spacetime of a bumblebee BH introduces characteristic changes to the orbital dynamics of the pulsar and the light propagation of radio signals. Assuming a timing precision of 1 ms, our simulation shows that a 5-yr observation of a pulsar with an orbital period $P_b\sim 0.5\,{\rm yr}$ and an orbital eccentricity $e\sim 0.8$ can probe a vector charge-to-mass ratio as small as $Q/M\sim 10^{-3}$, which is much more stringent than the current constraint from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations, and comparable to the prospective constraint from extreme mass-ratio inspirals with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA).

astro-ph.HE

Importance of including higher signal harmonics in the modeling of extreme mass-ratio inspirals

Extreme mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs) are the most potential sources detectable by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). To analyze the influence of higher harmonics on parameter estimation for EMRIs efficiently, we use the waveform model that the phase trajectories are relativistic flux-based adiabatic trajectories and the waveforms are constructed by the augmented analytic kludge method. We perform a Fisher-matrix error analysis of the EMRI parameters using signals taking into account the motion of the LISA constellation and higher harmonics of gravitational waves. Our results demonstrate that including higher harmonics greatly reduces the errors on the exterior parameters such as inclination angle $ι$, the luminosity distance $d_L$, the polarization angle $ψ$, and the initial phase $Φ_0$, except for source localization $ΔΩ$ when EMRIs face us. However, the influence of higher harmonics on parameters $(ι,d_L,ψ,Φ_0)$ can be negligible when the inclination angle is above $1.0$. For intrinsic parameters such as the spin of central black and the masses of binaries, the influence of higher harmonics can be negligible for any inclination angle. Our findings are independent of the mass or spin of the EMRI system.

gr-qc

Improved bounds on the bosonic dark matter with pulsars in the Milky Way

Neutron stars (NSs) can be used to constrain dark matter (DM) since a NS can transform into a black hole (BH) if it captures sufficient DM particles and exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit. We extend earlier work and for the first time take into account the Galactic motion of individual NSs, which changes the amount of the captured DM by as large as one to two orders of magnitude. We systematically apply the analysis to 413 NSs in the Milky Way, and constrain the DM particle mass and its interaction with nucleon simultaneously. We find that the most stringent bound is placed by a few NSs and the bound becomes stronger after considering the Galactic motion. The survival of observed NSs already excludes a cross section $σ_{nX}\gtrsim 10^{-45} \, {\rm cm}^2$ for DM particles with mass from $100\, {\rm MeV}$ to $10^3 \, {\rm GeV}$. Especially for a mass around $10 \, {\rm GeV}$, the constraint on the cross section is as stringent as $σ_{nX}\lesssim 10^{-49} \, {\rm cm}^2$.

astro-ph.HE

Extended thermodynamics of the bumblebee black holes

As a vector-tensor theory including nonminimal coupling between the Ricci tensor and a vector field, the bumblebee gravity is a potential theory to test Lorentz symmetry violation. Recently, a new class of numerical spherical black holes in the bumblebee theory was constructed. In this paper, we investigate the associated local thermodynamic properties. By introducing a pair of conjugated thermodynamic quantities $X$ and $Y$, which can be interpreted as an extension of electric potential and charge of the Reissner Nordström black holes, we numerically construct a new first law of thermodynamics for bumblebee black holes. We then study the constant-$Y$ processes in the entropy-charge parameter space. For the constant-$Y$ processes, we also calculate the heat capacity to study the local thermodynamic stability of the bumblebee black holes. For a negative nonminimal coupling coefficient $ξ$, we find both divergent and smooth phase transitions. For a positive but small $ξ$, only a divergent phase transition is found. It turns out that there is a critical value $0.4κ<ξ_c < 0.5κ$ such that when $ξ_c < ξ<2κ$, even the divergent phase transition disappears and the bumblebee black holes thus become locally thermodynamically unstable regardless of the bumblebee charge. As for $ξ>2κ$, the smooth phase transition arises again but there no longer exists any discontinuous phase transition for the bumblebee black holes.

gr-qc

Gravitational waves from eccentric extreme mass-ratio inspirals as probes of scalar fields

We study eccentric orbits of the Schwarzschild spacetime for extreme mass ratio system (EMRI) in modified gravity theories with additional scalar fields. Due to the additional energy and angular momentum carried away by the scalar field, the orbit of the EMRI in modified gravity decays faster than that in general relativity. The time that it takes the eccentricity $e$ to reach the minimum is smaller and the values of the semi-latus rectum $p$ and $e$ at the turning point when $e$ reaches the minimum are bigger for larger scalar charge $d$. In addition to the calculation of energy fluxes with numerical method, we also use the Post-Newtonian expansion of the rate of energy carried away by the scalar field in eccentric orbits to understand the behaviors of the energy emission. By adding the scalar flux to the open code FastEMRIWaveforms of the Black Hole Perturbation Toolkit, we numerically generate fast gravitational waveforms for eccentric EMRIs with scalar fields and use the faithfulness between waveforms with and without the scalar charge to discuss the detection of scalar charge $d$. The detection error of the scalar charge is also estimated with method of Fisher information matrix.

gr-qc