Gravitational waves from inspiraling compact binaries: Second post-Newtonian waveforms as search templates

TL;DR

This paper evaluates the second post-Newtonian approximation as effective gravitational wave templates for detecting inspiraling compact binaries with interferometers, showing high fitting factors across various systems.

Contribution

It demonstrates that second post-Newtonian waveforms are sufficiently accurate as search templates for gravitational wave detection of inspiraling binaries.

Findings

Fitting factors above 90% for various binary systems.

Second post-Newtonian waveforms meet Apostolatos' effectiveness criterion.

Validated as effective templates for gravitational wave searches.

Abstract

We ascertain the effectiveness of the second post-Newtonian approximation to the gravitational waves emitted during the adiabatic inspiral of a compact binary system as templates for signal searches with kilometer-scale interferometric detectors. The reference signal is obtained by solving the Teukolsky equation for a small mass moving on a circular orbit around a large nonrotating black hole. Fitting factors computed from this signal and these templates, for various types of binary systems, are all above the 90% mark. According to Apostolatos' criterion, second post-Newtonian waveforms should make acceptably effective search templates.