Gravitational-wave and electromagnetic detections in the context of the CosmoDC2 LSST synthetic catalog

TL;DR

This paper introduces CosmoDC2_BCO, a synthetic catalog of gravitational-wave events and electromagnetic counterparts, demonstrating how future detector networks and surveys could significantly enhance detection rates and parameter estimation for neutron star mergers.

Contribution

The paper presents a new synthetic catalog and analysis of detection prospects for GW and EM counterparts with upcoming detector networks and LSST-like surveys.

Findings

Third-generation detectors greatly increase detection rates.

Combining second- and third-generation detectors improves localization.

Estimated 5000 kilonovae detections over 10 years with LSST and advanced GW networks.

Abstract

We release CosmoDC2_BCO, a synthetic catalog of gravitational-wave events and electromagnetic counterparts associated with galaxies from CosmoDC2. The catalog provides intrinsic and extrinsic source parameters, signal-to-noise ratios, parameter uncertainties, sky localization areas, and kilonova apparent magnitudes in LSST filters. Our results show that third-generation detector networks substantially increase detection rates and improve parameter estimation. Second-generation detectors, when combined with third-generation ones, significantly enhance sky localization and distance precision, particularly for BNS mergers. Assuming a simplified Target of Opportunity strategy, we estimate that an LSST-like survey, partnered with the CE+ET+LVK network at 70% duty cycle, could detect about 5000 kilonovae with GW counterparts over a 10-year period on a 16000 deg^2 footprint, predominantly from low-mass BNS mergers that produce long-lived supermassive neutron star remnants. While this is a substantial number, it represents only a small fraction of the total neutron star mergers expected to be observed by third-generation networks. These projections rely on several simplifying assumptions-including the adopted merger rate, the kilonova luminosity distribution, and the configuration and scheduling of future surveys-which introduce notable uncertainties. Therefore, the estimated detection numbers should be interpreted with appropriate caution.