Extreme Gravity Tests with Gravitational Waves from Compact Binary Coalescences: (II) Ringdown

TL;DR

This paper reviews the challenges and methods for testing the nature of black holes using gravitational wave ringdown signals, aiming to verify Kerr black hole predictions and explore alternative theories.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of current theoretical and experimental challenges and proposes data analysis strategies for black hole spectroscopy with gravitational waves.

Findings

Discussion of quasinormal mode excitation in mergers

Assessment of astrophysical event rates for spectroscopy

Proposed methods to test black hole dynamics in modified gravity

Abstract

The LIGO/Virgo detections of binary black hole mergers marked a watershed moment in astronomy, ushering in the era of precision tests of Kerr dynamics. We review theoretical and experimental challenges that must be overcome to carry out black hole spectroscopy with present and future gravitational wave detectors. Among other topics, we discuss quasinormal mode excitation in binary mergers, astrophysical event rates, tests of black hole dynamics in modified theories of gravity, parameterized "post-Kerr" ringdown tests, exotic compact objects, and proposed data analysis methods to improve spectroscopic tests of Kerr dynamics by stacking multiple events.