Imprints of the redshift evolution of double neutron star merger rate on the signal to noise ratio distribution

TL;DR

This paper explores how the distribution of signal-to-noise ratios from double neutron star mergers detected by future gravitational wave observatories can reveal their redshift evolution, independent of distance measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method to probe DNS redshift evolution using SNR distributions, leveraging third-generation GW detector capabilities.

Findings

Hundreds of DNS detections can distinguish different redshift evolution models.

SNR distribution encodes information about the spatial distribution of DNS mergers.

Method is independent of luminosity distance measurements.

Abstract

Proposed third generation gravitational wave (GW) interferometers such as Cosmic Explorer will have the sensitivity to observe double neutron star (DNS) mergers up to a redshift of $\sim 5$ with good signal to noise ratios. We argue that the comoving spatial distribution of DNS mergers leaves a unique imprint on the statistical distribution of signal to noise ratios (SNRs) of the detected DNS mergers. Hence the SNR distribution of DNS mergers will facilitate a novel probe of their redshift evolution independent of the luminosity distance measurements. We consider detections of DNS mergers by the third generation detector Cosmic Explorer and study the SNR distribution for different possible redshift evolution models of DNSs and employ Anderson Darling p-value statistic to demonstrate the distinguishability between these different models. We find that a few hundreds of DNS mergers in the Cosmic Explorer era will allow us to distinguish between different models of redshift evolution.