Exploring the multi-band gravitational wave background with a semi-analytic galaxy formation model [CL]

http://arxiv.org/abs/2304.08333


The compact binary systems, spanning from the stellar to supermassive black hole, encode a wealth of information concerning stellar evolution, galaxy formation and evolution, and cosmology. An enormous number of these systems, both resolved and unresolved, emit substantial gravitational waves during their final evolutionary stages, thereby creating a stochastic gravitational wave background (SGWB). We calculate the merger rates of stellar compact binaries and massive black hole binaries using a semi-analytic galaxy formation model — Galaxy Assembly with Binary Evolution (GABE) in a unified and self-consistent approach, followed by an estimation of the multi-band SGWB contributed by the binary systems. We find that the amplitudes of the principal peaks of the SGWB energy density are within one order of magnitude $\Omega_{GW} \sim 10^{-9}- 10^{-8}$. This SGWB can be easily detected by the Square Kilometre Array (SKA), as well as planned interferometric detectors, such as the Einstein Telescope (ET) and the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). The energy density of this background varies as $\Omega_{GW} \propto f^{2/3}$ in the SKA band. The shape of the SGWB spectrum in the frequency range $\sim[10^{-4}$,$1]$Hz could allow the space-based detector LISA to distinguish the black hole seed models. The amplitude of the SGWB from merging stellar binary black holes (BBHs) at $\sim 100$ Hz is approximately 10 and 100 times greater than those from merging binary neutron stars (BNSs) and neutron-star-black-hole (NSBH) mergers, respectively.

Read this paper on arXiv…

Z. Li, Z. Jiang, X. Fan, et. al.
Tue, 18 Apr 23
36/80

Comments: 9 pages, 4 figures