Search for sub-solar mass binaries with Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer

TL;DR

This study evaluates the potential of third-generation gravitational wave detectors, Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer, to detect sub-solar mass binaries, providing estimates of detection horizons, merger rates, and implications for primordial black hole abundance.

Contribution

It presents the first detailed analysis of detection prospects for sub-solar mass binaries with ET and CE, including horizon distances, merger rates, and primordial black hole abundance constraints.

Findings

ET can detect binaries with 10^{-2} M_sun up to 40 Mpc.

CE can detect binaries with 1 M_sun up to 5.8 Gpc.

Upper limit on primordial black hole fraction is 0.70 for ET and 0.06 for CE.

Abstract

A possible detection of sub-solar mass ultra-compact objects would lead to new perspectives on the existence of black holes that are not of astrophysical origin and/or pertain to formation scenarios of exotic ultra-compact objects. Both possibilities open new perspectives for better understanding of our universe. In this work, we investigate the significance of detection of sub-solar mass binaries with components mass in the range: $10^{-2} M_\odot$ up to 1$M_\odot$, within the expected sensitivity of the ground-based gravitational waves detectors of third-generation, viz., the Einstein Telescope (ET) and the Cosmic Explorer (CE). Assuming a minimum of amplitude signal-to-noise ratio for detection, viz., $\rho = 8$, we find that the maximum horizon distances for an ultra-compact binary system with components mass $10^{-2} \, M_\odot$ and 1$M_\odot$ are 40 Mpc and 1.89 Gpc, respectively, for ET, and 125 Mpc and 5.8 Gpc, respectively, for CE. Other cases are also presented in the text. We derive the merger rate, and discuss consequences on the abundances of primordial black hole (PBH), $f_{\rm PBH}$. Considering the entire mass range [$10^{-2}$ - 1]$M_\odot$, we find $f_{\rm PBH} < 0.70$ ($<$ $0.06$) for ET (CE), respectively.