Three observational differences for binary black holes detections with second and third generation gravitational-wave detectors

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that assumptions about binary black hole detections with current gravitational-wave detectors do not hold universally, and shows how third-generation detectors will revise these assumptions, impacting source characterization.

Contribution

It reveals the limitations of current detection assumptions and analyzes how third-generation detectors will change our understanding of binary black hole observations.

Findings

Current detectors favor higher mass systems

Most events are oriented with their angular momentum towards or away from Earth

Quiet events are more numerous than loud ones

Abstract

Advanced gravitational-wave observatories, such as LIGO and Virgo, will detect hundreds of gravitational waves emitted by binary black holes in the next few years. The collection of detected sources is expected to have certain properties. It is expected that a selection bias will exist toward higher mass systems, that most events will be oriented with their angular momentum pointing to or away from Earth, and that quiet events will be much more numerous than loud events. In this paper we show how all these assumptions are only true for existing detectors and do not have any universality. Using an network of proposed third-generation gravitational wave detectors, we show how each of these assumptions must be revised and we discuss several consequences on the characterization of the sources.