Optimized Search for a Binary Black Hole Merger Population in LIGO-Virgo O3 Data

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kumar, Praveen, Dent, Thomas
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916519064109056
author Kumar, Praveen
Dent, Thomas
author_facet Kumar, Praveen
Dent, Thomas
contents Maximizing the number of detections in matched filter searches for compact binary coalescence (CBC) gravitational wave (GW) signals requires a model of the source population distribution. In previous searches using the PyCBC framework, sensitivity to the population of binary black hole (BBH) mergers was improved by restricting the range of filter template mass ratios and use of a simple one-dimensional population model. However, this approach does not make use of our full knowledge of the population and cannot be extended to a full parameter space search. Here, we introduce a new ranking method, based on kernel density estimation (KDE) with adaptive bandwidth, to accurately model the probability distributions of binary source parameters over a template bank, both for signals and for noise events. We demonstrate this ranking method by conducting a search over LIGO-Virgo O3 data for BBH with unrestricted mass ratio, using a signal model derived from previous significant detected events. We achieve over 10% increase in sensitive volume for a simple power-law simulated signal population, compared to the previous BBH search. Correspondingly, with the new ranking, 8 additional candidate events above an inverse false alarm rate (IFAR) threshold 0.5 yr are identified.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_10439
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Optimized Search for a Binary Black Hole Merger Population in LIGO-Virgo O3 Data
Kumar, Praveen
Dent, Thomas
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
This version corresponds to accepted journal version
Maximizing the number of detections in matched filter searches for compact binary coalescence (CBC) gravitational wave (GW) signals requires a model of the source population distribution. In previous searches using the PyCBC framework, sensitivity to the population of binary black hole (BBH) mergers was improved by restricting the range of filter template mass ratios and use of a simple one-dimensional population model. However, this approach does not make use of our full knowledge of the population and cannot be extended to a full parameter space search. Here, we introduce a new ranking method, based on kernel density estimation (KDE) with adaptive bandwidth, to accurately model the probability distributions of binary source parameters over a template bank, both for signals and for noise events. We demonstrate this ranking method by conducting a search over LIGO-Virgo O3 data for BBH with unrestricted mass ratio, using a signal model derived from previous significant detected events. We achieve over 10% increase in sensitive volume for a simple power-law simulated signal population, compared to the previous BBH search. Correspondingly, with the new ranking, 8 additional candidate events above an inverse false alarm rate (IFAR) threshold 0.5 yr are identified.
title Optimized Search for a Binary Black Hole Merger Population in LIGO-Virgo O3 Data
topic General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
This version corresponds to accepted journal version
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.10439