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Testing black hole metrics with binary black hole inspirals

Zhe Zhao, Swarnim Shashank, Debtroy Das, Cosimo Bambi

Abstract

Gravitational wave astronomy has opened an unprecedented window onto tests of gravity and fundamental physics in the strong-field regime. In this study, we examine a series of well-motivated deviations from the classical Kerr solution of General Relativity and employ gravitational wave data to place constraints on possible deviations from the Kerr geometry. The method involves calculating the phase of gravitational waves using the effective one-body formalism and then applying the parameterized post-Einsteinian framework to constrain the parameters appearing in these scenarios beyond General Relativity. The effective one-body method, known for its capability to model complex gravitational waveforms, is used to compute the wave phase, and the post-Einsteinian framework allows for a flexible, model-independent approach to parameter estimation. We demonstrate that gravitational wave data provide evidence supporting the Kerr nature of black holes, showing no significant deviations from General Relativity, thereby affirming its validity within the current observational limits. This work bridges theoretical waveform modeling with observational constraints, providing a pathway to test the no-hair theorem and probe the astrophysical viability of modified black holes.

Testing black hole metrics with binary black hole inspirals

Abstract

Gravitational wave astronomy has opened an unprecedented window onto tests of gravity and fundamental physics in the strong-field regime. In this study, we examine a series of well-motivated deviations from the classical Kerr solution of General Relativity and employ gravitational wave data to place constraints on possible deviations from the Kerr geometry. The method involves calculating the phase of gravitational waves using the effective one-body formalism and then applying the parameterized post-Einsteinian framework to constrain the parameters appearing in these scenarios beyond General Relativity. The effective one-body method, known for its capability to model complex gravitational waveforms, is used to compute the wave phase, and the post-Einsteinian framework allows for a flexible, model-independent approach to parameter estimation. We demonstrate that gravitational wave data provide evidence supporting the Kerr nature of black holes, showing no significant deviations from General Relativity, thereby affirming its validity within the current observational limits. This work bridges theoretical waveform modeling with observational constraints, providing a pathway to test the no-hair theorem and probe the astrophysical viability of modified black holes.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 22 sections, 112 equations, 1 figure, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Methodology
  3. Special circular metrics
  4. Effective one body problem
  5. Equatorial circular geodesics of massive particles
  6. GW phase corrections induced by deviations from the Kerr geometry
  7. Constraining the deformation parameter from binary BH events
  8. Results
  9. Kerr-Newman black hole
  10. Bardeen black hole
  11. Asymptotically safe gravity
  12. Loop quantum gravity
  13. Non-commutative geometry: Lorentzian mass distribution
  14. Kerr-Sen black hole
  15. Ghosh-Kumar black hole
  16. ...and 7 more sections

Figures (1)

  • Figure 1: Violin plots for the deformation parameters of the BH spacetimes beyond GR considered in this work. All constraints are inferred from the GW170608 data with the SEOBNRv4P waveform model. The thick horizontal line marks the median and the thin horizontal line marks the 90% credible interval.