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

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.

arXiv comment7+8 pages (incl.supplementary material), 7 figures, 3 tables, to match version published in Physical Review Letters

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