# How would GW150914 look with future GW detector networks?

## TL;DR

This paper simulates how future gravitational wave detector networks will improve the detection and parameter estimation of black hole mergers like GW150914, emphasizing the importance of both sensitivity and network configuration.

## Contribution

It provides a detailed simulation study of how upcoming detector networks will enhance the measurement accuracy of black hole merger parameters.

## Key findings

- Improved low-frequency sensitivity will enhance chirp mass estimates by an order of magnitude.
- Expanded detector networks will significantly improve sky localization and orientation measurements.
- Both increased sensitivity and additional detectors are crucial for maximizing scientific returns.

## Abstract

The first detected gravitational wave signal, GW150914, was produced by the coalescence of a stellar-mass binary black hole. Along with the subsequent detection of GW151226, GW170104 and the candidate event LVT151012, this gives us evidence for a population of black hole binaries with component masses in the tens of solar masses. As detector sensitivity improves, this type of source is expected to make a large contribution to the overall number of detections, but has received little attention compared to binary neutron star systems in studies of projected network performance. We simulate the observation of a system like GW150914 with different proposed network configurations, and study the precision of parameter estimates, particularly source location, orientation and masses. We find that the improvements to low frequency sensitivity that are expected with continued commissioning will improve the precision of chirp mass estimates by an order of magnitude, whereas the improvements in sky location and orientation are driven by the expanded network configuration. This demonstrates that both sensitivity and number of detectors will be important factors in the scientific potential of second generation detector networks.