TY - JOUR
T1 - Towards models of gravitational waveforms from generic binaries
T2 - a simple approximate mapping between precessing and non-precessing inspiral signals
AU - Schmidt, Patricia
AU - Hannam, Mark
AU - Husa, Sascha
PY - 2012/11/27
Y1 - 2012/11/27
N2 - One of the greatest theoretical challenges in the buildup to the era of second-generation gravitational-wave detectors is the modeling of generic binary waveforms. We introduce an approximation that has the potential to significantly simplify this problem. We show that generic precessing-binary inspiral waveforms (covering a seven-dimensional space of intrinsic parameters) can be mapped to a two-dimensional space of nonprecessing binaries, characterized by the mass ratio and a single effective total spin. The mapping consists of a time-dependent rotation of the waveforms into the quadrupole-aligned frame and is extremely accurate (matches >0.99 with parameter biases in the total spin of Δχ≤0.04), even in the case of transitional precession. In addition, we demonstrate a simple method to construct hybrid post-Newtonian–numerical relativity precessing-binary waveforms in the quadrupole-aligned frame and provide evidence that our approximate mapping can be used all the way to the merger. Finally, based on these results, we outline a general proposal for the construction of generic waveform models, which will be the focus of future work.
AB - One of the greatest theoretical challenges in the buildup to the era of second-generation gravitational-wave detectors is the modeling of generic binary waveforms. We introduce an approximation that has the potential to significantly simplify this problem. We show that generic precessing-binary inspiral waveforms (covering a seven-dimensional space of intrinsic parameters) can be mapped to a two-dimensional space of nonprecessing binaries, characterized by the mass ratio and a single effective total spin. The mapping consists of a time-dependent rotation of the waveforms into the quadrupole-aligned frame and is extremely accurate (matches >0.99 with parameter biases in the total spin of Δχ≤0.04), even in the case of transitional precession. In addition, we demonstrate a simple method to construct hybrid post-Newtonian–numerical relativity precessing-binary waveforms in the quadrupole-aligned frame and provide evidence that our approximate mapping can be used all the way to the merger. Finally, based on these results, we outline a general proposal for the construction of generic waveform models, which will be the focus of future work.
UR - http://inspirehep.net/record/1122533
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevD.86.104063
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevD.86.104063
M3 - Article
SN - 1550-7998
VL - 86
JO - Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
JF - Physical Review D - Particles, Fields, Gravitation and Cosmology
M1 - 104063
ER -