arXiv subjects

Nami Uchikata

Publications and source records attributed to Nami Uchikata.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Probing (sub-)solar-mass black holes and superspinars with current and next-generation gravitational-wave observatories

Gravitational-wave observations provide a powerful probe of compact objects and strong-field gravity. In this work, we investigate the detectability of binaries containing (sub-)solar-mass black holes and superspinars with current and next-generation gravitational-wave observatories. Such objects may arise from primordial formation channels or from more exotic high-energy scenarios, and their detection would provide important insights into the population of low-mass compact objects and the physics of extreme gravitational fields. We model the gravitational-wave signals using the frequency-domain post-Newtonian inspiral waveform model TaylorF2, and truncate the signal at the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) to avoid contamination from the post-inspiral regime. We assess the observability of these systems using the sensitivities of current detectors such as Advanced LIGO and upcoming third-generation observatories including the Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer. Our results show that while current detectors have limited reach for very low-mass binaries, third-generation observatories can enhance both detection capability and parameter-estimation precision. Their improved strain sensitivity and extended low-frequency coverage allow these observatories to track the inspiral phase over a substantially larger number of gravitational-wave cycles. As a result, they achieve considerably higher signal-to-noise ratios and provide dramatically improved constraints on binary parameters. In particular, it is possible to measure the primary spin parameter with precision $\Delta \chi_{1z}~\sim~10^{-4}-10^{-3}$, potentially allowing clear observational discrimination between near-extremal black holes and superspinars in the mass range $0.1~M_\odot-2~M_\odot$ and with signal-to-noise ratio of $\sim 100-350$.

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arXiv2025

Implications of GW241011 for rotating exotic compact objects

A number of theoretical proposals have been made for horizonless compact objects with masses and spins similar to those of black holes. While gravitational wave signatures from their mergers can resemble those of black holes, features like the spin-induced quadrupole moment may reveal their distinct nature. Using the tight bounds on the spin-induced quadrupole moment of GW241011, we place gravitational wave constraints on the nature of its primary. We find that large classes of exotic compact objects (including rotating boson stars) cannot explain its nature, however, models of sufficiently large compactness of $C \gtrsim 0.24$ may still be viable contenders.

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arXiv2023

Searching for gravitational wave echoes from black hole binary events in the third observing run of LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA collaborations

Gravitational wave echo signals have been proposed as evidence for the modification of the spacetime structure near the classical event horizon. These signals are expected to occur after the mergers of compact binaries as a sequence of weak pulse-like signals. Some studies have shown evidence of the echo signals from several binary black hole merger events. On the other hand, the other studies have shown the low significance of such signals from various events in the first, second and third observing runs (O1, O2 and O3). Our previous study also shows the low significance of echo signals from events in O1 and O2, though, we observe that more than half of the events have p-value smaller than 0.1 when the simply modeled waveform is used for the analysis. Since there are only nine events appropriate for this analysis in O1 and O2, it is necessary to analyze more events to evaluate the significance statistically. In this study, we search for echo signals from binary black hole events observed during O3 operated by LIGO, Virgo and KAGRA collaborations. We perform the template-based search by using two different models for echo signal templates: simply modeled one and physically motivated one. Our results show that the distributions of p-values for all events analyzed in this study are consistent with the noise distribution. This means that no significant echo signals are found for both models from O3 events.

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arXiv2022

Follow-up analyses of the binary-neutron-star signals GW170817 and GW190425 by using post-Newtonian waveform models

We reanalyze the binary-neutron-star signals, GW170817 and GW190425, focusing on the inspiral regime to avoid uncertainties on waveform modeling in the postinspiral regime. We use post-Newtonian waveform models as templates, which are theoretically rigid and efficiently describe the inspiral regime. We study potential systematic difference in estimates of the binary tidal deformability $\tilde{\Lambda}$ by using different descriptions for the point-particle dynamics and tidal effects. We find that the estimates of $\tilde{\Lambda}$ show no significant systematic difference among three models for the point-particle parts: TF2, TF2g, and TF2+, when they employ the same tidal model. We compare different tidal descriptions given by different post-Newtonian orders in the tidal phase. Our results indicate that the estimates of $\tilde{\Lambda}$ slightly depend on the post-Newtonian order in the tidal phase and an increase in the tidal post-Newtonian order does not lead to a monotonic change in the estimate of $\tilde{\Lambda}$. We also compare the estimate of $\tilde{\Lambda}$ obtained by the post-Newtonian tidal model and numerical-relativity calibrated tidal models. We find that the post-Newtonian model gives slightly larger estimate of $\tilde{\Lambda}$ and wider posterior distribution than the numerical-relativity calibrated models. According to Bayesian model comparison, it is difficult to identify a preference among the post-Newtonian orders by relying on the GW170817 and GW190425 data. Our results indicate no preference among numerical-relativity calibrated tidal models over the post-Newtonian model. Additionally, we present constraints on equation-of-state models for neutron stars with the post-Newtonian model, which show that the GW170817 data disfavor less compact models, though they are slightly weaker constraints than the numerical-relativity calibrated tidal models.

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arXiv2021

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.

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arXiv2021

Prospects for estimating parameters from gravitational waves of superspinar binaries

To date, close to fifty presumed black hole binary mergers were observed by the LIGO and Virgo detectors. The analyses have been done with an assumption that these objects are black holes by limiting the spin prior to the Kerr bound. However, the above assumption is not valid for superspinars, which have the Kerr geometry but rotate beyond the Kerr bound. In this study, we investigate whether and how the limited spin prior range causes a bias in parameter estimation for superspinars if they are detected. To this end, we estimate binary parameters of the simulated inspiral signals of the gravitational waves of compact binaries by assuming that at least one component of them is a superspinar. We have found that when the primary is a superspinar, both mass and spin parameters are biased in parameter estimation due to the limited spin prior range. In this case, the extended prior range is strongly favored compared to the limited one. On the other hand, when the primary is a black hole, we do not see much bias in parameter estimation due to the limited spin prior range, even though the secondary is a superspinar. We also apply the analysis to black hole binary merger events GW170608 and GW190814, which have a long and loud inspiral signal. We do not see any preference of superspinars from the model selection for both events. We conclude that the extension of the spin prior range is necessary for accurate parameter estimation if highly spinning primary objects are found, while it is difficult to identify superspinars if they are only the secondary objects. Nevertheless, the bias in parameter estimation of spin for the limited spin prior range can be a clue of the existence of superspinars.

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arXiv2021

Gravitational Wave Physics and Astronomy in the nascent era

The detections of gravitational waves (GW) by LIGO/Virgo collaborations provide various possibilities to physics and astronomy. We are quite sure that GW observations will develop a lot both in precision and in number owing to the continuous works for the improvement of detectors, including the expectation to the newly joined detector, KAGRA, and the planned detector, LIGO-India. In this occasion, we review the fundamental outcomes and prospects of gravitational wave physics and astronomy. We survey the development focusing on representative sources of gravitational waves: binary black holes, binary neutron stars, and supernovae. We also summarize the role of gravitational wave observations as a probe of new physics.

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arXiv2020

Reanalysis of the binary neutron star mergers GW170817 and GW190425 using numerical-relativity calibrated waveform models

We reanalyze gravitational waves from binary-neutron-star mergers GW170817 and GW190425 using a numerical-relativity (NR) calibrated waveform model, the TF2+_Kyoto model, which includes nonlinear tidal terms. For GW170817, by imposing a uniform prior on the binary tidal deformability $\tildeΛ$, the symmetric $90\%$ credible interval of $\tildeΛ$ is estimated to be $481^{+436}_{-359}$ and $402^{+465}_{-279}$ for the case of $f_\mathrm{max}=1000$ and $2048~\mathrm{Hz}$, respectively, where $f_\mathrm{max}$ is the maximum frequency in the analysis. We also reanalyze the event with other waveform models: two post-Newtonian waveform models (TF2_PNTidal and TF2+_PNTidal), the TF2+_NRTidal model that is another NR calibrated waveform model, and its upgrade, the TF2+_NRTidalv2 model. While estimates of parameters other than $\tildeΛ$ are broadly consistent among various waveform models, our results indicate that estimates of $\tildeΛ$ depend on waveform models. However, the difference is smaller than the statistical error. For GW190425, we can only obtain little information on the binary tidal deformability. The systematic difference among the NR calibrated waveform models will become significant to measure $\tildeΛ$ as the number of detectors and events increase and sensitivities of detectors are improved.

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arXiv2020

Black hole spectroscopy for KAGRA future prospect in O5

Ringdown gravitational waves of compact binary mergers are an important target to test general relativity. The main components of the ringdown waveform after merger are black hole quasinormal modes. In general relativity, all multipolar quasinormal modes of a black hole should give the same values of black hole parameters. Although the observed binary black hole events so far are not significant enough to perform the test with ringdown gravitational waves, it is expected that the test will be achieved in third generation detectors. The Japanese gravitational wave detector KAGRA, called bKAGRA for the current configuration, has started observation, and discussions for the future upgrade plans have also started. In this study, we consider which KAGRA upgrade plan is the best to detect the subdominant quasinormal modes of black holes in the aim of testing general relativity. We use a numerical relativity waveform as injected signals that contains two multipolar modes and analyze each mode by matched filtering. Our results suggest that the plan FDSQZ, which improves the sensitivity of KAGRA for broad frequency range, is the most suitable configuration for black hole spectroscopy.

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arXiv2019

Discrepancy in tidal deformability of GW170817 between the Advanced LIGO twin detectors

We find that the Hanford and Livingston detectors of Advanced LIGO derive a distinct posterior probability distribution of binary tidal deformability tilde{Lambda} of the first binary-neutron-star merger GW170817. By analyzing public data of GW170817 with a nested-sampling engine and the default TaylorF2 waveform provided by the LALInference package, the probability distribution of the binary tidal deformability derived by the LIGO-Virgo detector network turns out to be determined dominantly by the Hanford detector. Specifically, by imposing the flat prior on tidal deformability of individual stars, symmetric 90% credible intervals of tilde{Lambda} are estimated to be 527^{+619}_{-345} with the Hanford detector, 927^{+522}_{-619} with the Livingston detector, and 455^{+668}_{-281} with the LIGO-Virgo detector network. Furthermore, the distribution derived by the Livingston detector changes irregularly when we vary the maximum frequency of the data used in the analysis. This feature is not observed for the Hanford detector. While they are all consistent, the discrepancy and irregular behavior suggest that an in-depth study of noise properties might improve our understanding of GW170817 and future events.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2019

Searching for black hole echoes from the LIGO-Virgo Catalog GWTC-1

We have examined gravitational wave echo signals for nine binary black hole merger events observed by Advanced LIGO and Virgo during the first and second observation runs. To construct an echo template, we consider Kerr spacetime, where the event horizon is replaced by a reflective membrane. We use frequency-dependent reflection rate at the angular potential barrier, which is fitted to the numerical data obtained by solving Teukolsky equations. This reflection rate gives a frequency-dependent transmission rate that is suppressed at lower frequencies in the template. We also take into account the overall phase shift of the waveform as a parameter, which arises when the wave is reflected at the membrane and potential barrier. Using this template based on black hole perturbation, we find no significant echo signals in the binary black hole merger events.

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arXiv2019

Comparison of various methods to extract ringdown frequency from gravitational wave data

The ringdown part of gravitational waves in the final stage of merger of compact objects tells us the nature of strong gravity which can be used for testing the theories of gravity. The ringdown waveform, however, fades out in a very short time with a few cycles, and hence it is challenging for gravitational wave data analysis to extract the ringdown frequency and its damping time scale. We here propose to build up a suite of mock data of gravitational waves to compare the performance of various approaches developed to detect quasi-normal modes from a black hole. In this paper we present our initial results of comparisons of the following five methods; (1) plain matched filtering with ringdown part (MF-R) method, (2) matched filtering with both merger and ringdown parts (MF-MR) method, (3) Hilbert-Huang transformation (HHT) method, (4) autoregressive modeling (AR) method, and (5) neural network (NN) method. After comparing their performance, we discuss our future projects.

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arXiv2016

Tidal deformability and I-Love-Q relations for gravastars with polytropic thin shells

The moment of inertia, the spin-induced quadrupole moment, and the tidal Love number of neutron-star and quark-star models are related through some relations which depend only mildly on the stellar equation of state. These "I-Love-Q" relations have important implications for astrophysics and gravitational-wave astronomy. An interesting problem is whether similar relations hold for other compact objects and how they approach the black-hole limit. To answer these questions, here we investigate the deformation properties of a large class of thin-shell gravastars, which are exotic compact objects that do not possess an event horizon nor a spacetime singularity. Working in a small-spin and small-tidal field expansion, we calculate the moment of inertia, the quadrupole moment, and the (quadrupolar electric) tidal Love number of gravastars with a polytropic thin shell. The I-Love-Q relations of a thin-shell gravastar are drastically different from those of an ordinary neutron star. The Love number and quadrupole moment are negative for less compact models and the I-Love-Q relations continuously approach the black-hole limit. We consider a variety of polytropic equations of state for the matter shell, and find no universality in the I-Love-Q relations. However, we cannot deny the possibility that, similarly to the neutron-star case, an approximate universality might emerge for a limited class of equations of state. Finally, we discuss how a measurement of the tidal deformability from the gravitational-wave detection of a compact-binary inspiral can be used to constrain exotic compact objects like gravastars.

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arXiv2015

Slowly rotating thin shell gravastars

We construct the solutions of slowly rotating gravastars with a thin shell. In the zero-rotation limit, we consider the gravastar composed of a de Sitter core, a thin shell, and Schwarzschild exterior spacetime. The rotational effects are treated as small axisymmetric and stationary perturbations. The perturbed internal and external spacetimes are matched with a uniformly rotating thin shell. We assume that the angular velocity of the thin shell, $Ω$, is much smaller than the Keplerian frequency of the nonrotating gravastar, $Ω_k$. The solutions within an accuracy up to the second order of $Ω/Ω_k$ are obtained. The thin shell matter is assumed to be described by a perfect fluid and to satisfy the dominant energy condition in the zero-rotation limit. In this study, we assume that the equation of state for perturbations is the same as that of the unperturbed solution. The spherically symmetric component of the energy density perturbations, $δσ_0$, is assumed to vanish independently of the rotation rate. Based on these assumptions, we obtain many numerical solutions and investigate properties of the rotational corrections to the structure of the thin shell gravastar.

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arXiv2015

Slowly rotating regular black holes with a charged thin shell

We obtain rotating solutions of regular black holes which are constructed of de Sitter spacetime with the axisymmetric stationary perturbation within the timelike charged thin shell and the Kerr-Newman geometry with sufficiently small rotation outside the shell. To treat the slowly rotating thin shell, we employ the method developed by de la Cruz and Israel. The thin shell is assumed to be composed of a dust in the zero-rotation limit and located inside the inner horizon of the black hole solution. We expand the perturbation in powers of the rotation parameter of the Kerr-Newman metric up to the second order. It is found that with the present treatment, the stress tensor of the thin shell in general has anisotropic pressure, i.e., the thin shell cannot be composed of a dust if the rotational effects are taken into account. However, the thin shell can be composed of a perfect fluid with isotropic pressure if the degrees of freedom appearing in the physically acceptable matching of the two distinct spacetimes are suitably used. We numerically investigate the rotational effects on the spherically symmetric charged regular black hole obtained by Uchikata, Yoshida and Futamase in detail.

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arXiv2012

New solutions of charged regular black holes and their stability

We construct new regular black hole solutions by matching the de Sitter solution and the Reissner-Nordstrom solution with a timelike thin shell. The thin shell is assumed to have mass but no pressure and obeys an equation of motion derived from Israel's junction conditions. By investigating the equation of motion for the shell, we obtain stationary solutions of charged regular black holes and examine stability of the solutions. Stationary solutions are found in limited ranges of 0.87L < m < 1.99L, and they are stable against small radial displacement of the shell with fixed values of m, M, and Q if M>0, where L is the de Sitter horizon radius, m the black hole mass, M the proper mass of the shell and Q the black hole charge. All the solutions obtained are highly charged in the sense of Q/m >0.866. By taking the massless limit of the shell in the present regular black hole solutions, we obtain the charged regular black hole with a massless shell obtained by Lemos and Zanchin and investigate stability of the solutions. It is found that Lemos and Zanchin's regular black hole solutions given by the massless limit of the present regular black hole solutions permit stable solutions, which are obtained by the limit of M -> 0.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2011

Quasinormal modes of a massless charged scalar field on a small Reissner-Nordström-anti-de Sitter black hole

We investigate quasinormal modes of a massless charged scalar field on a small Reissner-Nordström-anti-de Sitter (RN-AdS) black hole both with analytical and numerical approaches. In the analytical approach, by using the small black hole approximation (r_+ << L), we obtain the quasinormal mode frequencies in the limit of r_+/L -> 0, where r_+ and L stand for the black hole event horizon radius and the AdS scale, respectively. We then show that the small RN-AdS black hole is unstable if its quasinormal modes satisfy the superradiance condition and that the instability condition of the RN-AdS black hole in the limit of r_+/L -> 0 is given by Q>(3/eL)Q_c, where Q, Q_c, and e are the charge of the black hole, the critical (maximum) charge of the black hole, and the charge of the scalar field, respectively. In the numerical approach, we calculate the quasinormal modes for the small RN-AdS black holes with r_+ << L and confirm that the RN-AdS black hole is unstable if its quasinormal modes satisfy the superradiance condition. Our numerical results show that the RN-AdS black holes with r_+ =0.2L, 0.1L, and 0.01L become unstable against scalar perturbations with eL=4 when the charge of the black hole satisfies Q > 0.8Q_c, 0.78Q_c, and 0.76Q_c, respectively.

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