Properties of the Binary Black Hole Merger GW150914

LIGO Scientific Collaboration; Virgo Collaboration

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.241102

Properties of the Binary Black Hole Merger GW150914

LIGO Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

On September 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected a gravitational-wave transient (GW150914); we characterize the properties of the source and its parameters. The data around the time of the event were analyzed coherently across the LIGO network using a suite of accurate waveform models that describe gravitational waves from a compact binary system in general relativity. GW150914 was produced by a nearly equal mass binary black hole of masses 36(-4)(+5) M-circle dot and 29(-4)(-4) M-circle dot; for each parameter we report the median value and the range of the 90% credible interval. The dimensionless spin magnitude of the more massive black hole is bound to be < 0.7 ( at 90% probability). The luminosity distance to the source is 410(-180)(+160) Mpc, corresponding to a redshift 0.09(-0.04)(+0.03) assuming standard cosmology. The source location is constrained to an annulus section of 610 deg(2), primarily in the southern hemisphere. The binary merges into a black hole of mass 62(-4)(+4) M-circle dot and spin 0.67(-0.07)(+0.05). This black hole is significantly more massive than any other inferred from electromagnetic observations in the stellar-mass regime.

Original language	English
Article number	241102
Number of pages	19
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	116
Issue number	24
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.241102
Publication status	Published - 14 Jun 2016
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

INSPIRALING COMPACT BINARIES
GRAVITATIONAL WAVE-FORMS
ADVANCED LIGO
PARAMETER-ESTIMATION
MAXIMUM MASS
RADIATION
X-1
STELLAR
SIGNALS
OBJECT

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Cite this

@article{18576ec2dda1474cb9113d8e8d4debc8,

title = "Properties of the Binary Black Hole Merger GW150914",

abstract = "On September 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected a gravitational-wave transient (GW150914); we characterize the properties of the source and its parameters. The data around the time of the event were analyzed coherently across the LIGO network using a suite of accurate waveform models that describe gravitational waves from a compact binary system in general relativity. GW150914 was produced by a nearly equal mass binary black hole of masses 36(-4)(+5) M-circle dot and 29(-4)(-4) M-circle dot; for each parameter we report the median value and the range of the 90% credible interval. The dimensionless spin magnitude of the more massive black hole is bound to be < 0.7 ( at 90% probability). The luminosity distance to the source is 410(-180)(+160) Mpc, corresponding to a redshift 0.09(-0.04)(+0.03) assuming standard cosmology. The source location is constrained to an annulus section of 610 deg(2), primarily in the southern hemisphere. The binary merges into a black hole of mass 62(-4)(+4) M-circle dot and spin 0.67(-0.07)(+0.05). This black hole is significantly more massive than any other inferred from electromagnetic observations in the stellar-mass regime.",

keywords = "INSPIRALING COMPACT BINARIES, GRAVITATIONAL WAVE-FORMS, ADVANCED LIGO, PARAMETER-ESTIMATION, MAXIMUM MASS, RADIATION, X-1, STELLAR, SIGNALS, OBJECT",

author = "B.P. Abbott and R. Abbott and T.D. Abbott and M.R. Abernathy and F. Acernese and K. Ackley and C. Adams and T. Adams and P. Addesso and R.X. Adhikari and V.B. Adya and C. Affeldt and M. Agathos and K. Agatsuma and N. Aggarwal and O.D. Aguiar and L. Aiello and A. Ain and P. Ajith and B. Allen and A. Allocca and P.A. Altin and S.B. Anderson and W.G. Anderson and K. Arai and M.C. Araya and C.C. Arceneaux and J.S. Areeda and N. Arnaud and K.G. Arun and S. Ascenzi and G. Ashton and M. Ast and S.M. Aston and P. Astone and P. Aufmuth and C. Aulbert and S. Babak and P. Bacon and M.K.M. Bader and P.T. Baker and F. Baldaccini and G. Ballardin and S.W. Ballmer and S.L. Danilishin and J. Hennig and S. Hild and J. Steinlechner and S. Steinlechner and {van den Brand}, J.F.J. and {LIGO Scientific Collaboration} and {Virgo Collaboration}",

year = "2016",

month = jun,

day = "14",

doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.241102",

language = "English",

volume = "116",

journal = "Physical Review Letters",

issn = "0031-9007",

publisher = "American Physical Society",

number = "24",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Properties of the Binary Black Hole Merger GW150914

AU - Abbott, B.P.

AU - Abbott, R.

AU - Abbott, T.D.

AU - Abernathy, M.R.

AU - Acernese, F.

AU - Ackley, K.

AU - Adams, C.

AU - Adams, T.

AU - Addesso, P.

AU - Adhikari, R.X.

AU - Adya, V.B.

AU - Affeldt, C.

AU - Agathos, M.

AU - Agatsuma, K.

AU - Aggarwal, N.

AU - Aguiar, O.D.

AU - Aiello, L.

AU - Ain, A.

AU - Ajith, P.

AU - Allen, B.

AU - Allocca, A.

AU - Altin, P.A.

AU - Anderson, S.B.

AU - Anderson, W.G.

AU - Arai, K.

AU - Araya, M.C.

AU - Arceneaux, C.C.

AU - Areeda, J.S.

AU - Arnaud, N.

AU - Arun, K.G.

AU - Ascenzi, S.

AU - Ashton, G.

AU - Ast, M.

AU - Aston, S.M.

AU - Astone, P.

AU - Aufmuth, P.

AU - Aulbert, C.

AU - Babak, S.

AU - Bacon, P.

AU - Bader, M.K.M.

AU - Baker, P.T.

AU - Baldaccini, F.

AU - Ballardin, G.

AU - Ballmer, S.W.

AU - Danilishin, S.L.

AU - Hennig, J.

AU - Hild, S.

AU - Steinlechner, J.

AU - Steinlechner, S.

AU - van den Brand, J.F.J.

AU - LIGO Scientific Collaboration

AU - Virgo Collaboration

PY - 2016/6/14

Y1 - 2016/6/14

N2 - On September 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected a gravitational-wave transient (GW150914); we characterize the properties of the source and its parameters. The data around the time of the event were analyzed coherently across the LIGO network using a suite of accurate waveform models that describe gravitational waves from a compact binary system in general relativity. GW150914 was produced by a nearly equal mass binary black hole of masses 36(-4)(+5) M-circle dot and 29(-4)(-4) M-circle dot; for each parameter we report the median value and the range of the 90% credible interval. The dimensionless spin magnitude of the more massive black hole is bound to be < 0.7 ( at 90% probability). The luminosity distance to the source is 410(-180)(+160) Mpc, corresponding to a redshift 0.09(-0.04)(+0.03) assuming standard cosmology. The source location is constrained to an annulus section of 610 deg(2), primarily in the southern hemisphere. The binary merges into a black hole of mass 62(-4)(+4) M-circle dot and spin 0.67(-0.07)(+0.05). This black hole is significantly more massive than any other inferred from electromagnetic observations in the stellar-mass regime.

AB - On September 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected a gravitational-wave transient (GW150914); we characterize the properties of the source and its parameters. The data around the time of the event were analyzed coherently across the LIGO network using a suite of accurate waveform models that describe gravitational waves from a compact binary system in general relativity. GW150914 was produced by a nearly equal mass binary black hole of masses 36(-4)(+5) M-circle dot and 29(-4)(-4) M-circle dot; for each parameter we report the median value and the range of the 90% credible interval. The dimensionless spin magnitude of the more massive black hole is bound to be < 0.7 ( at 90% probability). The luminosity distance to the source is 410(-180)(+160) Mpc, corresponding to a redshift 0.09(-0.04)(+0.03) assuming standard cosmology. The source location is constrained to an annulus section of 610 deg(2), primarily in the southern hemisphere. The binary merges into a black hole of mass 62(-4)(+4) M-circle dot and spin 0.67(-0.07)(+0.05). This black hole is significantly more massive than any other inferred from electromagnetic observations in the stellar-mass regime.

KW - INSPIRALING COMPACT BINARIES

KW - GRAVITATIONAL WAVE-FORMS

KW - ADVANCED LIGO

KW - PARAMETER-ESTIMATION

KW - MAXIMUM MASS

KW - RADIATION

KW - X-1

KW - STELLAR

KW - SIGNALS

KW - OBJECT

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.241102

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.241102

M3 - Article

SN - 0031-9007

VL - 116

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

IS - 24

M1 - 241102

ER -