Constraining parameters of white-dwarf binaries using gravitational-wave and electromagnetic observations

Abstract

The space-based gravitational wave (GW) detector, \emph{evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna} (eLISA) is expected to observe millions of compact Galactic binaries that populate our Milky Way. GW measurements obtained from the eLISA detector are in many cases complimentary to possible electro-magnetic (EM) data. In our previous papers, we have shown that the EM data can significantly enhance our knowledge of the astrophysically relevant GW parameters of the Galactic binaries, such as the amplitude and inclination. This is possible due to the presence of some strong correlations between GW parameters that are measurable by both EM and GW observations, for example the inclination and sky position. In this paper, we quantify the constraints in the physical parameters of the white-dwarf binaries, i.e. the individual masses, chirp mass and the distance to the source that can be obtained by combining the full set of EM measurements such as the inclination, radial velocities, distances and/or individual masses with the GW measurements. We find the following $2-\sigma$ fractional uncertainties in the parameters of interest. The EM observations of distance constrains the the chirp mass to $\sim 15-25$, whereas EM data of a single-lined spectroscopic binary constrains the secondary mass and the distance with factors of 2 to $\sim 40$. The single-line spectroscopic data complemented with distance constrains the secondary mass to $\sim 25-30$. Finally EM data on double-lined spectroscopic binary constrains the distance to $\sim 30$. All of these constraints depend on the inclination and the signal strength of the binary systems. We also find that the EM information on distance and/or the radial velocity are the most useful in improving the estimate of the secondary mass,inclination and/or distance.

12 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication by ApJ

References in corpus (3)

• Use and Abuse of the Fisher Information Matrix in the Assessment of Gravitational-Wave Parameter-Estimation Prospects
• The Galactic Gravitational wave foreground
• Kinematics of the ultra-compact helium accretor AM Canum Venaticorum

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• Global Analysis of the Gravitational Wave Signal from Galactic Binaries
• Measuring tides and binary parameters from gravitational wave data and eclipsing timings of detached white dwarf binaries
• The LISA Data Challenge Radler Analysis and Time-dependent Ultra-compact Binary Catalogues
• I-Love-Q Relations for Realistic White Dwarfs
• Compact Objects in close orbits as Gravitational Wave Sources: Formation Scenarios and Properties