On The Missing Counterparts Of LIGO-Virgo Binary Merger Events

TL;DR

This paper investigates the absence of electromagnetic and neutrino counterparts to LIGO-Virgo binary merger events, suggesting it may be intrinsic and consistent with the cannonball model of gamma-ray bursts.

Contribution

It proposes that the missing counterparts are expected within the cannonball model, providing an intrinsic explanation for their absence.

Findings

No electromagnetic or neutrino counterparts detected for 29 LIGO-Virgo events.

The absence of counterparts can be explained by the cannonball model of gamma-ray bursts.

The non-detection might be intrinsic rather than due to localization issues.

Abstract

Despite world-wide ground, underground, and space based observations in search of anticipated electromagnetic and perhaps neutrino counterparts to the 29 compact binary merger events, which have been detected by the upgraded LIGO-Virgo gravitational wave detectors in the first half year of their observation period O3, no such counterparts were found. Although such a situation could be due to a poor localization of nearby merger events and/or a complex background of short extragalactic transients, it could be intrinsic. We show that, indeed, it is expected in the cannonball model of gamma ray bursts and their afterglows.