Advancing the Understanding of Compact Binary Formation Through Gravitational-Wave Observations

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Recent direct detections of gravitational waves (GW) from merging binary black holes (BBH) and binary neutron stars (BNS) by the LIGO and Virgo GW detectors have transformed the way astronomers observe and understand the Universe. Despite many detections of such compact object mergers and the wealth of information now available, astronomers still know very little about the formation mechanisms and environments of merging astrophysical objects. A research group at the University of Mississippi will use data from GW observations to gain a deeper understanding of such questions. This work is timely and will significantly enhance the scope of astrophysics and astronomy enabled by GW detectors. The researchers will strengthen the broader impact of this emerging area in science in two distinct ways. First, they will enhance the engagement of the local community of all ages in astronomy and astrophysics by conducting activities related to GW astronomy during the monthly campus Astronomy Open House. Second, they will introduce high school students to GW science and data analysis techniques through a week-long workshop every year, with a focus on attracting female students, students of color, and students of low socioeconomic status.The research team will develop methods and build accurate computer software codes to probe the full evolution history of precessing BBHs on both quasi-circular and eccentric orbits. In parallel, they will explore the formation scenarios of binaries that contain black holes in the low-mass gap (~3 – 5 solar masses). The state-of-the-art models and computationally optimized codes will allow them to constrain various formation channels of all three types of binary mergers (BBH, BNS, and neutron star-black hole), and their astrophysical environments. Measurement of spin precession in BBHs will be crucial in constraining these binaries’ formation channel as well as discriminating the relative contributions of each possible formation channel to the observed BBH population. Although there is no definite sign of eccentricity in GW data yet, any evidence for non-zero eccentricity in future detections will bring additional discriminatory power in distinguishing various formation channels as well as help in exploring the new ones. Furthermore, the development and testing of realistic astrophysical models for binaries hosting black holes (BHs) in the so-called low-mass gap can remove the discrepancy of these low-mass-gap BHs being confused with neutron stars and primordial BHs of similar masses.This project is jointly funded by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), and the Windows on the Universe Big Idea, as this award advances the goals of Windows on the Universe.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.