Early Advanced LIGO binary neutron-star sky localization and parameter estimation

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Abstract:: 2015 will see the first observations of Advanced LIGO and the start of the advanced-detector era. One of the most promising sources of gravitational waves with ground-based detectors are binary neutron-star (BNS) coalescences. In order to use any detections for astrophysics, we must understand the capabilities of our parameter-estimation analysis. By simulating the gravitational waves from an astrophysically motivated population of BNSs, we examine the accuracy of parameter inferences in the early advanced-detector era. We find that sky location, which is important for electromagnetic follow-up, can be determined rapidly (under 1 minute), but that sky areas may be hundreds of square degrees. The chirp mass is well measured (typically better than 0.1%), but to measure individual component masses, we must include the effects of spin because of the mass-spin degeneracy.

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LIGO Document G1500555-v2