Estimation of compact binary coalescense rates from short gamma-ray burst redshift measurements

TL;DR

This paper estimates the rate of compact binary mergers from short gamma-ray burst redshift data, incorporating observational corrections, and compares these rates with gravitational wave detection limits to infer gamma-ray burst beaming angles.

Contribution

It introduces a model fitting approach using observed short gamma-ray burst redshifts to estimate merger rates, accounting for observational biases and comparing with GW data.

Findings

Estimated merger rates consistent with GW upper limits

Constraints on gamma-ray burst beaming angles

Comparison with binary neutron star observations

Abstract

Short gamma-ray bursts are believed to originate from the merger of two compact objects. If this scenario is correct, these bursts will be accompanied by the emission of strong gravitational waves, detectable by current or planned GW detectors, such as LIGO and Virgo. No detection of a gravitational wave has been made up to date. In this paper I will use a set of observed redshift measurements of short gamma-ray bursts to fit a model in order to determine the rate of such merger events in the nearby universe. Various corrections will be included in that calculation, as the field-of-view of the satellite missions, the beaming factors of gamma-ray bursts and other parameters. The computed rate estimations will be compared to other rate estimations, based on observations on binary neutron stars and population synthesis models. Given the upper limit established by LIGO/Virgo measurements, it is possible to draw conclusions on the beaming angle of gamma-ray bursts.