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Detections of gravitational waves emitted from binary black hole coalescences allow us to probe the strong-field dynamics of general relativity (GR). One can compare the observed gravitational-wave signals with theoretical waveform models to constrain possible deviations from GR. Any physics that is not included in these waveform models might show up as apparent GR deviations. The waveform models used in current tests of GR describe binaries on quasicircular orbits, since most of the binaries detected by ground-based gravitational-wave detectors are expected to have negligible eccentricities. Thus, a signal from an eccentric binary in GR is likely to show up as a deviation from GR in the current implementation of these tests. We study the response of four standard tests of GR to eccentric binary black hole signals with the forecast O4 sensitivity of the LIGO-Virgo network. Specifically, we consider two parametrized tests (TIGER and FTI), the modified dispersion relation test, and the inspiral-merger-ringdown consistency test. To model eccentric signals, we use nonspinning numerical relativity simulations from the SXS catalog with three mass ratios (1, 2, 3), which we scale to a redshifted total mass of 80M⊙ and luminosity distance of 400 Mpc. For each of these mass ratios, we consider signals with eccentricities of ∼0.05 and ∼0.1 at 17 Hz. We find that signals with larger eccentricity lead to very significant false GR deviations in most tests while signals having smaller eccentricity lead to significant deviations in some tests. For the larger eccentricity cases, one would even get a deviation from GR with TIGER at ∼90% credibility at a distance of ≳1.5 Gpc. Thus, it will be necessary to exclude the possibility of an eccentric binary in order to make any claim about detecting a deviation from GR.
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This content will become publicly available on January 1, 2026
Gravitational Waves from Black Hole Emission
Using adiabatic point-particle black hole perturbation theory, we simulate plausible gravitational wave (GW) signatures in two exotic scenarios (i) where a small black hole is emitted by a larger one (‘black hole emission’) and (ii) where a small black hole is emitted by a larger one and subsequently absorbed back (‘black hole absorption’). While such scenarios are forbidden in general relativity (GR), alternative theories (such as certain quantum gravity scenarios obeying the weak gravity conjecture, white holes, and Hawking radiation) may allow them. By leveraging the phenomenology of black hole emission and absorption signals, we introduce straightforward modifications to existing gravitational waveform models to mimic gravitational radiation associated with these exotic events. We anticipate that these (incomplete but) initial simulations, coupled with the adjusted waveform models, will aid in the development of null tests for GR using GWs.
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- PAR ID:
- 10573049
- Publisher / Repository:
- MDPI
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Universe
- Volume:
- 11
- Issue:
- 1
- ISSN:
- 2218-1997
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 21
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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