Gravitational-Wave Data Analysis with High-Precision Numerical Relativity Simulations of Boson Star mergers

TL;DR

This paper investigates the potential for detecting boson-star mergers in gravitational-wave data by performing detailed numerical simulations and Bayesian analysis, revealing both degeneracies with black hole signals and unique signatures.

Contribution

It provides high-precision numerical simulations of boson-star mergers and assesses their detectability and distinguishability in gravitational-wave data.

Findings

Some boson-star signals are degenerate with black hole signals.

Certain signals show distinctive residuals indicating boson-star origins.

Parameter biases occur when interpreting boson-star signals with current models.

Abstract

Gravitational-wave signals detected to date are commonly interpreted under the paradigm that they originate from pairs of black holes or neutron stars. Here, we explore the alternative scenario of boson-star signals being present in the data stream. We perform accurate and long ($\sim 20$ orbits) numerical simulations of boson-star binaries and inject the resulting strain into LIGO noise. Our Bayesian inference reveals that some boson-star signals. are degenerate with current approximants, albeit with biased parameters, while others exhibit smoking-gun signatures leaving behind conspicuous residuals.