Indication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole Merger
The astrophysical origin of binary black hole (BBH) mergers remains uncertain, although many events have been observed by the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA network. Such mergers are potentially originated in the vicinity of massive black holes (MBHs). GW190814, due to its secondary mass and mass ratio being beyo...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adeaad |
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| author | Shu-Cheng Yang Wen-Biao Han Hiromichi Tagawa Song Li Chen Zhang |
| author_facet | Shu-Cheng Yang Wen-Biao Han Hiromichi Tagawa Song Li Chen Zhang |
| author_sort | Shu-Cheng Yang |
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| description | The astrophysical origin of binary black hole (BBH) mergers remains uncertain, although many events have been observed by the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA network. Such mergers are potentially originated in the vicinity of massive black holes (MBHs). GW190814, due to its secondary mass and mass ratio being beyond the expectations of isolated stellar evolution theories, is a promising event that has occurred in an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk. In this model, a compact object resides in the vicinity of a merging BBH. Here we report multiple pieces of evidence suggesting that GW190814 is a BBH merging near a compact object. The orbital motion of BBHs around a third body produces a line-of-sight acceleration (LSA) and induces a varying Doppler shift. Using a waveform template that considers LSA, we perform Bayesian inference on a few BBH events with a high signal-to-noise ratio in the gravitational-wave (GW) transient catalog. Compared to the model for isolated BBH mergers, we obtain significantly higher network signal-to-noise ratios for GW190814 with the inclusion of LSA, constraining the LSA to $a=0.001{5}_{-0.0008}^{+0.0008}\,c\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}$ at a 90% confidence level. Additionally, the Bayes factor for the LSA case over the isolated case is 58/1, indicating that the LSA model is strongly preferred by the GW data. We conclude that this is the first indication showing merging BBHs are located near a third compact object. |
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| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj-art-947a88e2df4444f3a2c95dc5dedc72e12025-08-20T03:29:58ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019882L4110.3847/2041-8213/adeaadIndication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole MergerShu-Cheng Yang0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4852-3487Wen-Biao Han1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2039-0726Hiromichi Tagawa2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5674-0644Song Li3Chen Zhang4Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China ; wbhan@shao.ac.cnShanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China ; wbhan@shao.ac.cn; Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hangzhou 310124, People’s Republic of China; School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of China; Taiji Laboratory for Gravitational Wave Universe (Beijing/Hangzhou), University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, People's Republic of China; Key Laboratory of Radio Astronomy and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , A20 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100101, People's Republic of ChinaShanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China ; wbhan@shao.ac.cnShanghai Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Shanghai 200030, People’s Republic of China ; wbhan@shao.ac.cn; School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaShanghai University of Engineering Science , Shanghai, 201620, People's Republic of ChinaThe astrophysical origin of binary black hole (BBH) mergers remains uncertain, although many events have been observed by the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA network. Such mergers are potentially originated in the vicinity of massive black holes (MBHs). GW190814, due to its secondary mass and mass ratio being beyond the expectations of isolated stellar evolution theories, is a promising event that has occurred in an active galactic nucleus (AGN) disk. In this model, a compact object resides in the vicinity of a merging BBH. Here we report multiple pieces of evidence suggesting that GW190814 is a BBH merging near a compact object. The orbital motion of BBHs around a third body produces a line-of-sight acceleration (LSA) and induces a varying Doppler shift. Using a waveform template that considers LSA, we perform Bayesian inference on a few BBH events with a high signal-to-noise ratio in the gravitational-wave (GW) transient catalog. Compared to the model for isolated BBH mergers, we obtain significantly higher network signal-to-noise ratios for GW190814 with the inclusion of LSA, constraining the LSA to $a=0.001{5}_{-0.0008}^{+0.0008}\,c\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}$ at a 90% confidence level. Additionally, the Bayes factor for the LSA case over the isolated case is 58/1, indicating that the LSA model is strongly preferred by the GW data. We conclude that this is the first indication showing merging BBHs are located near a third compact object.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adeaadGravitational wave astronomyGravitational wavesGravitational wave sources |
| spellingShingle | Shu-Cheng Yang Wen-Biao Han Hiromichi Tagawa Song Li Chen Zhang Indication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole Merger The Astrophysical Journal Letters Gravitational wave astronomy Gravitational waves Gravitational wave sources |
| title | Indication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole Merger |
| title_full | Indication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole Merger |
| title_fullStr | Indication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole Merger |
| title_full_unstemmed | Indication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole Merger |
| title_short | Indication for a Compact Object Next to a LIGO–Virgo Binary Black Hole Merger |
| title_sort | indication for a compact object next to a ligo virgo binary black hole merger |
| topic | Gravitational wave astronomy Gravitational waves Gravitational wave sources |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adeaad |
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