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Using final black hole spins and masses to infer the formation history of the observed population of gravitational wave sources

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arxiv 1806.01285 v3 pith:IS3PFYVW submitted 2018-06-04 astro-ph.GA astro-ph.HE

classification astro-ph.GAastro-ph.HE
keywords formationblackbinarydifferentevolutionformedhistoryhole
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abstract

In this paper we propose a novel technique to constrain the progenitor binary black hole (BBH) formation history using the remnant masses and spins of merged black holes (BHs). Exploring different models, we found that dynamically formed BBHs are distributed differently in the mass-spin plane than those that have formed in isolation. Stellar evolution recipes crucially affect the remnant mass distribution, suggesting that future efforts should be devoted to finding a common way of modelling the evolutionary phases of single and binary stars. Our simple approach has allowed us to place weak constraints on the origin of the presently observed population of merged BHs, although with high uncertainties. Our results show that the fingerprints of different BBH formation channels will emerge as soon as LIGO detects more than $\sim 10^2$ merger events. This work provides a way of thinking that can be easily used both by people working on isolated and on dynamical BBH formation and evolution.

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Forward citations

Cited by 5 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score. Full citation record

  1. Constraints on Line-of-Sight Acceleration from O1-O4

    astro-ph.HE 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    All known compact binary mergers show line-of-sight accelerations consistent with zero under a new time-domain Doppler-shift model, with current detectors only sensitive to high-acceleration scenarios.

  2. Comparing astrophysical models to gravitational-wave data in the observable space

    gr-qc 2025-07 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Demonstrates direct comparison of observable compact-binary populations from GW data to astrophysical models, with unbiased inference shown possible and applied to O3 data.

  3. Assessing the Impact of Instrumental Requirements on the Scientific Performance of the Einstein Telescope

    astro-ph.IM 2026-07 accept novelty 6.0 of 10

    Degrading the Einstein Telescope's sensitivity in specific frequency bands hurts different science goals in predictable ways, but the mission remains scientifically strong even in the worst modelled cases.

  4. Electromagnetic counterparts of black hole-neutron star mergers: dependence on the neutron star properties

    astro-ph.HE 2019-08 conditional novelty 5.0 of 10

    Predictions of BHNS kilonova and afterglow light curves show that low-mass neutron stars produce brighter EM counterparts and that the blue B-band deficit can distinguish BHNS from NSNS mergers.

  5. The Missing Link in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy: Discoveries waiting in the decihertz range

    gr-qc 2019-08 accept novelty 3.0 of 10

    A Decihertz Observatory would fill the gap between LISA and ground detectors, enabling early-warning multimessenger astronomy and measurements of intermediate-mass black hole populations.

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