Binary black hole detection rates in inspiral gravitational wave searches

TL;DR

This paper compares different post-Newtonian waveform models for binary black hole inspirals and finds that using more complete models results in lower expected SNRs in gravitational wave searches than previously estimated with restricted waveforms.

Contribution

It demonstrates that employing amplitude-corrected waveforms in detection templates reduces the expected SNRs, highlighting the importance of waveform completeness in gravitational wave data analysis.

Findings

SNRs with amplitude-corrected waveforms are significantly lower than with restricted waveforms.

Using complete waveforms affects detection sensitivity estimates.

Implications for gravitational wave search strategies.

Abstract

The signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for quasi-circular binary black hole inspirals computed from restricted post-Newtonian waveforms are compared with those attained by more complete post-Newtonian signals, which are superpositions of amplitude-corrected harmonics of the orbital phase. It is shown that if one were to use the best available amplitude-corrected waveforms for detection templates, one should expect SNRs in actual searches to be significantly lower than those suggested by simulations based purely on restricted waveforms.