Samurai project: Verifying the consistency of black-hole-binary waveforms for gravitational-wave detection

Document #:

LIGO-P080123-x0

Document type:

P - Publications

Abstract:

We quantify the consistency of numerical-relativity black-hole-binary waveforms for use in gravitational-wave (GW) searches with current and planned ground-based detectors. We compare previously published results for the ([script-l]=2,|m|=2) mode of the gravitational waves from an equal-mass nonspinning binary, calculated by five numerical codes. We focus on the 1000M (about six orbits, or 12 GW cycles) before the peak of the GW amplitude and the subsequent ringdown. We find that the phase and amplitude agree within each code's uncertainty estimates. The mismatch between the ([script-l]=2,|m|=2) modes is better than 10-3 for binary masses above 60M[sun] with respect to the Enhanced LIGO detector noise curve, and for masses above 180M[sun] with respect to Advanced LIGO, Virgo, and Advanced Virgo. Between the waveforms with the best agreement, the mismatch is below 2×10-4. We find that the waveforms would be indistinguishable in all ground-based detectors (and for the masses we consider) if detected with a signal-to-noise ratio of less than [approximate]14, or less than [approximate]25 in the best cases.

Files in Document:

• P080123-01.pdf (620.4 kB)

Other Files:

• P080123-00.pdf (629.4 kB)

Topics:

• Public relations
• Document Migration from the old DCC

Authors:

• Deirdre Shoemaker
• Sascha Husa
• Mike Boyle
• M Hannam
• John Baker
• B Brugmann
• Tony Chu
• N Dorband
• Frank Herrmann
• Ian Hinder
• Bernard Kelly
• Lawrence Kidder
• Pablo Laguna
• Keith Matthews
• James Van Meter
• Harald Pfeiffer
• D Pollney
• Christian Reisswig
• Mark Scheel

Notes and Changes:

Rev P080123-01-Z:
- Full document number: LIGO-P080123-01-Z
- Author(s): M Hannam; S Husa; John G. Baker; Michael Boyle; B Brugmann; Tony Chu; N Dorband; Frank Herrmann; Ian Hinder; Bernard J. Kelly; Lawrence E. Kidder; Pablo Laguna; Keith D. Matthews; James R. Van Meter; Harald P. Pfeiffer; D Pollney; Christian Reisswig; Mark A. Scheel; Deirdre Shoemaker
- Document date: 2009-01-18
- Document received date: 2009-01-20
- Document entry date: 2009-01-20

Rev P080123-00-Z:
- Full document number: LIGO-P080123-00-Z
- Author(s): M Hannam; S Husa; John G. Baker; Michael Boyle; B Brugmann; Tony Chu; N Dorband; Frank Herrmann; Ian Hinder; Bernard J. Kelly; Lawrence E. Kidder; Pablo Laguna; Keith D. Matthews; James R. Van Meter; Harald P. Pfeiffer; D Pollney; Christian Reisswig; Mark A. Scheel; Deirdre Shoemaker
- Document date: 2008-12-18
- Document received date: 2009-01-05
- Document entry date: 2009-01-05

Journal References:

Published in Phys Rev D vol. 79 pg. 084025 (17pp).