Rapid pre-merger localization of binary neutron stars in third generation gravitational wave detectors

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method combining multi-band matched filtering and semi-analytical algorithms for rapid pre-merger localization of binary neutron stars in third-generation gravitational wave detectors, enabling early electromagnetic follow-up.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach for early-warning localization of BNS signals in 3G GW detectors, achieving accurate sky positions more than 30 minutes before merger.

Findings

Able to localize ~10-100 BNS events within 100 deg² before merger

Provides accurate localization more than 30 minutes prior to merger

Simulates one month of observations with promising results

Abstract

Pre-merger localization of binary neutron stars (BNSs) is one of the most important scientific goals for the third generation (3G) gravitational wave (GW) detectors. It will enable the electromagnetic observation of the whole process of BNS coalescence, especially for the pre-merger and merger phases which have not been observed yet, opening a window for deeper understandings of compact objects. To reach this goal, we describe a novel combination of multi-band matched filtering and semi-analytical localization algorithms to achieve early-warning localization of long BNS signals in 3G detectors. Using our method we are able to efficiently simulate one month of observations with a three-detector 3G network, and show that it is possible to provide accurate sky localizations more than 30 minutes before the merger. Our simulation shows that there could be ~ 10 (~ 100) BNS events localized within 100 deg2, 20 (6) minutes before merger, per month of observation.