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Abstract The Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog (GWTC) is a collection of short-duration (transient) gravitational-wave signals identified by the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA Collaboration in gravitational-wave data produced by the eponymous detectors. The catalog provides information about the identified candidates, such as the arrival time and amplitude of the signal and properties of the signal’s source as inferred from the observational data. GWTC is the data release of this dataset, and version 4.0 extends the catalog to include observations made during the first part of the fourth LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA observing run up until 2024 January 31. This Letter marks an introduction to a collection of articles related to this version of the catalog, GWTC-4.0. The collection of articles accompanying the catalog provides documentation of the methods used to analyze the data, summaries of the catalog of events, observational measurements drawn from the population, and detailed discussions of selected candidates. 

Abstract We report the observation of gravitational waves from two binary black hole coalescences during the fourth observing run of the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA detector network, GW241011 and GW241110. The sources of these two signals are characterized by rapid and precisely measured primary spins, nonnegligible spin–orbit misalignment, and unequal mass ratios between their constituent black holes. These properties are characteristic of binaries in which the more massive object was itself formed from a previous binary black hole merger and suggest that the sources of GW241011 and GW241110 may have formed in dense stellar environments in which repeated mergers can take place. As the third-loudest gravitational-wave event published to date, with a median network signal-to-noise ratio of 36.0, GW241011 furthermore yields stringent constraints on the Kerr nature of black holes, the multipolar structure of gravitational-wave generation, and the existence of ultralight bosons within the mass range 10⁻¹³–10⁻¹²eV. 

Abstract On 2023 November 23, the two LIGO observatories both detected GW231123, a gravitational-wave signal consistent with the merger of two black holes with masses $137_{-18}^{+23}{M}_{\odot }$and $101_{-50}^{+22}{M}_{\odot }$(90% credible intervals), at a luminosity distance of 0.7–4.1 Gpc, a redshift of $0.40_{-0.25}^{+0.27}$, and with a network signal-to-noise ratio of ∼20.7. Both black holes exhibit high spins— $0.90_{-0.19}^{+0.10}$and $0.80_{-0.52}^{+0.20}$, respectively. A massive black hole remnant is supported by an independent ringdown analysis. Some properties of GW231123 are subject to large systematic uncertainties, as indicated by differences in the inferred parameters between signal models. The primary black hole lies within or above the theorized mass gap where black holes between 60–130M_⊙should be rare, due to pair-instability mechanisms, while the secondary spans the gap. The observation of GW231123 therefore suggests the formation of black holes from channels beyond standard stellar collapse and that intermediate-mass black holes of mass ∼200M_⊙form through gravitational-wave-driven mergers. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> We report measurements of the absolute branching fractions$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}_{s}^{\pm }X\right)$$,$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{0}/{\overline{D} }^{0}X\right)$$, and$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{\pm }X\right)$$, where the latter is measured for the first time. The results are based on a 121.4 fb⁻¹data sample collected at the Υ(10860) resonance by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energye⁺e⁻collider. We reconstruct one$${B}_{s}^{0}$$meson in$${e}^{+}{e}^{-}\to \Upsilon\left(10860\right)\to {B}_{s}^{*}{\overline{B} }_{s}^{*}$$events and measure yields of$${D}_{s}^{+}$$,D⁰, andD⁺mesons in the rest of the event. We obtain$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}_{s}^{\pm }X\right)=\left(68.6\pm 7.2\pm 4.0\right)\%$$,$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{0}/{\overline{D} }^{0}X\right)=\left(21.5\pm 6.1\pm 1.8\right)\%$$, and$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{\pm }X\right)=\left(12.6\pm 4.6\pm 1.3\right)\%$$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. Averaging with previous Belle measurements gives$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}_{s}^{\pm }X\right)=\left(63.4\pm 4.5\pm 2.2\right)\%$$and$$\mathcal{B}\left({B}_{s}^{0}\to {D}^{0}/{\overline{D} }^{0}X\right)=\left(23.9\pm 4.1\pm 1.8\right)\%$$. For the$${B}_{s}^{0}$$production fraction at the Υ(10860), we find$${f}_{s}=\left({21.4}_{-1.7}^{+1.5}\right)\%$$. 

ABSTRACT A wide variety of Galactic sources show transient emission at soft and hard X-ray energies: low- and high-mass X-ray binaries containing compact objects, isolated neutron stars exhibiting extreme variability as magnetars as well as pulsar-wind nebulae. Although most of them can show emission up to MeV and/or GeV energies, many have not yet been detected in the TeV domain by Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes. In this paper, we explore the feasibility of detecting new Galactic transients with the Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO) and the prospects for studying them with Target of Opportunity observations. We show that CTAO will likely detect new sources in the TeV regime, such as the massive microquasars in the Cygnus region, low-mass X-ray binaries with low-viewing angle, flaring emission from the Crab pulsar-wind nebula or other novae explosions, among others. Since some of these sources could also exhibit emission at larger time-scales, we additionally test their detectability at longer exposures. We finally discuss the multiwavelength synergies with other instruments and large astronomical facilities. 

The gravitational-wave signal GW250114 was observed by the two LIGO detectors with a network matched-filter signal-to-noise ratio of 80. The signal was emitted by the coalescence of two black holes with near-equal masses $m_1={33.6}_{-0.8}^{+1.2}{M}_{\odot }$and $m_2={32.2}_{-1.3}^{+0.8}{M}_{\odot }$, and small spins ${\chi }_{1,2}\le 0.26$(90% credibility) and negligible eccentricity $e\le 0.03$. Postmerger data excluding the peak region are consistent with the dominant quadrupolar $(\ell =|m|=2)$mode of a Kerr black hole and its first overtone. We constrain the modes’ frequencies to $\pm 30\%$of the Kerr spectrum, providing a test of the remnant’s Kerr nature. We also examine Hawking’s area law, also known as the second law of black hole mechanics, which states that the total area of the black hole event horizons cannot decrease with time. A range of analyses that exclude up to five of the strongest merger cycles confirm that the remnant area is larger than the sum of the initial areas to high credibility. 

We report measurements of time-dependent $CP$asymmetries in $B^0\to K_S^0{\pi }^0\gamma$decays based on a data sample of $(388\pm 6)\times {10}^{6}B\overline{B}$events collected at the $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(4S\right)$resonance with the Belle II detector. The Belle II experiment operates at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy $e^{+}{e}^{-}$collider. We measure decay-time distributions to determine $CP$-violating parameters $S$and $C$. We determine these parameters for two ranges of $K_S^0{\pi }^0$invariant mass: $m\left(K_S^0{\pi }^0\right)\in (0.8,1.0)\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$, which is dominated by $B^0\to K^{*0}(\to K_S^0{\pi }^0)\gamma$decays, and a complementary region $m\left(K_S^0{\pi }^0\right)\in (0.6,0.8)\cup (1.0,1.8)\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$. Our results have improved precision as compared to previous measurements and are consistent with theory predictions. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

We describe a measurement of charge-parity ( $CP$) violation asymmetries in $B^0\to {\eta }^{\prime }{K}_{\mathrm{S}}^0$decays using Belle II data. We consider ${\eta }^{\prime }\to \eta (\to \gamma \gamma ){\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}$and ${\eta }^{\prime }\to \rho (\to {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-})\gamma$decays. The data were collected at the SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy $e^{+}{e}^{-}$collider between the years 2019 and 2022, and contain $(387\pm 6)\times {10}^6$bottom-antibottom meson pairs. We reconstruct $829\pm 35$signal decays and extract the $CP$violating parameters from a fit to the distribution of the proper-decay-time difference between the two $B$mesons. The measured direct and mixing-induced $CP$asymmetries are $C_{{\eta }^{\prime }{K}_{\mathrm{S}}^0}=-0.19\pm 0.08\pm 0.03$and $S_{{\eta }^{\prime }{K}_{\mathrm{S}}^0}=+0.67\pm 0.10\pm 0.03$, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. These results are in agreement with current world averages and standard model predictions. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

A<sc>bstract</sc> We present a study of$$ {\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\pi}^0 $$ ${\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\pi }^0$,$$ {\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0\eta $$ ${\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0\eta$, and$$ {\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\eta}^{\prime } $$ ${\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\eta }^{\prime }$decays using the Belle and Belle II data samples, which have integrated luminosities of 980 fb⁻¹and 426 fb⁻¹, respectively. We measure the following relative branching fractions$$ {\displaystyle \begin{array}{c}\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\pi}^0\right)/\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^{-}{\pi}^{+}\right)=0.48\pm 0.02\left(\textrm{stat}\right)\pm 0.03\left(\textrm{syst}\right),\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0\eta \right)/\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^{-}{\pi}^{+}\right)=0.11\pm 0.01\left(\textrm{stat}\right)\pm 0.01\left(\textrm{syst}\right),\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\eta}^{\prime}\right)/\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^{-}{\pi}^{+}\right)=0.08\pm 0.02\left(\textrm{stat}\right)\pm 0.01\left(\textrm{syst}\right)\end{array}} $$ $\begin{array}{c}B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\pi }^0\right)/B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}\right)=0.48\pm 0.02\left(\text{stat}\right)\pm 0.03\left(\text{syst}\right),\\ B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0\eta \right)/B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}\right)=0.11\pm 0.01\left(\text{stat}\right)\pm 0.01\left(\text{syst}\right),\\ B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\eta }^{\prime }\right)/B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}\right)=0.08\pm 0.02\left(\text{stat}\right)\pm 0.01\left(\text{syst}\right)\end{array}$ for the first time, where the uncertainties are statistical (stat) and systematic (syst). By multiplying by the branching fraction of the normalization mode,$$ \mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^{-}{\pi}^{+}\right) $$ $B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}\right)$, we obtain the following absolute branching fraction results$$ {\displaystyle \begin{array}{c}\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\pi}^0\right)=\left(6.9\pm 0.3\left(\textrm{stat}\right)\pm 0.5\left(\textrm{syst}\right)\pm 1.3\left(\operatorname{norm}\right)\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0\eta \right)=\left(1.6\pm 0.2\left(\textrm{stat}\right)\pm 0.2\left(\textrm{syst}\right)\pm 0.3\left(\operatorname{norm}\right)\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ {}\mathcal{B}\left({\varXi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\eta}^{\prime}\right)=\left(1.2\pm 0.3\left(\textrm{stat}\right)\pm 0.1\left(\textrm{syst}\right)\pm 0.2\left(\operatorname{norm}\right)\right)\times {10}^{-3},\end{array}} $$ $\begin{array}{c}B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\pi }^0\right)=\left(6.9\pm 0.3\left(\text{stat}\right)\pm 0.5\left(\text{syst}\right)\pm 1.3\left(norm\right)\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0\eta \right)=\left(1.6\pm 0.2\left(\text{stat}\right)\pm 0.2\left(\text{syst}\right)\pm 0.3\left(norm\right)\right)\times {10}^{-3},\\ B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\eta }^{\prime }\right)=\left(1.2\pm 0.3\left(\text{stat}\right)\pm 0.1\left(\text{syst}\right)\pm 0.2\left(norm\right)\right)\times {10}^{-3},\end{array}$ where the third uncertainties are from$$ \mathcal{B}\left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^{-}{\pi}^{+}\right) $$ $B\left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^{-}{\pi }^{+}\right)$. The asymmetry parameter for$$ {\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\pi}^0 $$ ${\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\pi }^0$is measured to be$$ \alpha \left({\Xi}_c^0\to {\Xi}^0{\pi}^0\right)=-0.90\pm 0.15\left(\textrm{stat}\right)\pm 0.23\left(\textrm{syst}\right) $$ $\alpha \left({\Xi }_c^0\to {\Xi }^0{\pi }^0\right)=-0.90\pm 0.15\left(\text{stat}\right)\pm 0.23\left(\text{syst}\right)$.