Nonlinear gravitational-wave memory from cusps and kinks on cosmic strings

Primordial black holes (PBHs) can constitute the predominant fraction of dark matter (DM) if PBHs reside in the currently unconstrained “sublunar” mass range. PBHs originating from scalar perturbations generated during inflation can naturally appear with a broad spectrum in a class of models. The resulting stochastic gravitational wave (GW) background generated from such PBH production can account for the recently reported North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) pulsar timing array data signal, and will be testable in future GW observations by interferometer-type experiments such as Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We show that the broad mass function of such PBH DM is already being probed by Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) microlensing data and is consistent with a detected candidate event. Upcoming observations of HSC will be able to provide an independent definitive test of the stochastic GW signals originating from such PBH DM production scenarios.

Eccentric compact binary mergers are significant scientific targets for current and future gravitational wave observatories. To detect and analyze eccentric signals, there is an increasing effort to develop waveform models, numerical relativity simulations, and parameter estimation frameworks for eccentric binaries. Unfortunately, current models and simulations use different internal parametrizations of eccentricity in the absence of a unique natural definition of eccentricity in general relativity, which can result in incompatible eccentricity measurements. In this paper, we adopt a standardized definition of eccentricity and mean anomaly based solely on waveform quantities and make our implementation publicly available through an easy-to-use python package, gw_eccentricity. This definition is free of gauge ambiguities, has the correct Newtonian limit, and can be applied as a postprocessing step when comparing eccentricity measurements from different models. This standardization puts all models and simulations on the same footing and enables direct comparisons between eccentricity estimates from gravitational wave observations and astrophysical predictions. We demonstrate the applicability of this definition and the robustness of our implementation for waveforms of different origins, including post-Newtonian theory, effective-one-body, extreme mass ratio inspirals, and numerical relativity simulations. We focus on binaries without spin precession in this work, but possible generalizations to spin-precessing binaries are discussed.

Gravitational waves (GWs) from compact binary mergers have emerged as one of the most promising probes of cosmology and general relativity (GR). However, a major challenge in fully exploiting GWs as “standard sirens” with current and future GW observatories is developing efficient and robust codes capable of analyzing the increasing data volumes that are, and will be, acquired. Here, we present CHIMERA 2.0 , an advanced computational framework for hierarchical Bayesian inference of cosmological, modified gravity, and population hyperparameters using standard sirens and galaxy catalogs. This upgrade introduces novel GPU-accelerated algorithms to estimate the hierarchical likelihood, enabling the analysis of thousands of events – crucial for next-generation experiments – and includes the two-parameter (Ξ 0 − n ) modified GW propagation model, where Ξ 0 governs the amplitude of the modification (Ξ 0 = 1 corresponds to GR). Using CHIMERA 2.0 , we forecast cosmological and modified GW propagation constraints for a scenario similar to the future LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA O5 run. We analyze three binary black-hole populations of 300 events at S/N > 20, each with a different value of Ξ 0 : 0.6, 1 (corresponding to GR), and 1.8. Multiple analyses were performed each catalog, comprising a population of approximately 5000 events, thanks to CHIMERA 2.0 , which is 10–1000 times faster depending on the settings and catalog size. We jointly infer cosmological, modified GW propagation, and population hyperparameters. With spectroscopic galaxy catalogs, the fiducial Ξ 0 is recovered with a precision of 22%, 7.5%, and 10% for Ξ 0 = 0.6, 1, and 1.8, respectively; while the precision on H 0 is 2 − 7 times worse than when Ξ 0 is not inferred. Finally, in the case of photometric redshifts the constraints degrade on average by 3.5 times in all cases, underscoring the importance of future spectroscopic surveys in maximizing the constraining power of standard sirens.

This article reviews current understanding of primordial black holes (PBHs), with particular focus on those massive examples () which remain at the present epoch, not having evaporated through Hawking radiation. With the detection of gravitational waves by LIGO, we have gained a completely novel observational tool to search for PBHs, complementary to those using electromagnetic waves. Taking the perspective that gravitational-wave astronomy will make significant progress in the coming decades, the purpose of this article is to give a comprehensive review covering a wide range of topics on PBHs. After discussing PBH formation, as well as several inflation models leading to PBH production, we summarize various existing and future observational constraints. We then present topics on formation of PBH binaries, gravitational waves from PBH binaries, and various observational tests of PBHs using gravitational waves.

We present the results of a Bayesian search for gravitational wave (GW) memory in the NANOGrav 12.5 yr data set. We find no convincing evidence for any gravitational wave memory signals in this data set. We find a Bayes factor of 2.8 in favor of a model that includes a memory signal and common spatially uncorrelated red noise (CURN) compared to a model including only a CURN. However, further investigation shows that a disproportionate amount of support for the memory signal comes from three dubious pulsars. Using a more flexible red-noise model in these pulsars reduces the Bayes factor to 1.3. Having found no compelling evidence, we go on to place upper limits on the strain amplitude of GW memory events as a function of sky location and event epoch. These upper limits are computed using a signal model that assumes the existence of a common, spatially uncorrelated red noise in addition to a GW memory signal. The median strain upper limit as a function of sky position is approximately 3.3 × 10−14. We also find that there are some differences in the upper limits as a function of sky position centered around PSR J0613−0200. This suggests that this pulsar has some excess noise that can be confounded with GW memory. Finally, the upper limits as a function of burst epoch continue to improve at later epochs. This improvement is attributable to the continued growth of the pulsar timing array.

The growing catalog of gravitational wave (GW) detections by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration enables increasingly stringent tests of general relativity, particularly regarding possible violations of parity and Lorentz symmetry. Parity and Lorentz violations in gravity can modify both the damping rate and dispersion relation of GWs, leading to birefringence, frequency-dependent damping, and dispersion effects in the propagation of GWs. These effects result in amplitude and phase corrections of the waveforms of GWs produced by the coalescence of compact binaries, which enable us to constrain parity- and Lorentz-violating effects by analyzing GW signals detected by LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detectors with the distorted waveforms. While most current analyses employ single-parameter methods-varying one deformation parameter at a time-modified gravity theories often predict multiple, coexisting deviations. In this work, we construct several specific multi-parameter GW waveform models incorporating parity- and Lorentz-violating effects and perform full Bayesian parameter estimation to compare multi-parameter and single-parameter constraints. We find that including multiple deformation parameters yields constraints on individual parameters that are generally comparable to those from single-parameter analyses, despite one specific model showing a degeneracy between the deformation parameters. Our results support the robustness of single-parameter tests for parity and Lorentz symmetry of gravity in current and future GW observations.

Recently, it has been shown that the primordial black holes (PBHs) produced by near critical collapse in the expanding universe have a scaling mass relation similar to that of black holes produced in asymptotically flat spacetime. Distinct from PBHs formed with mass about the horizon mass (Type I), the PBHs with the scaling relation (Type II) can be created with a range of masses at a given formation time. In general, only the case in which the PBH formation is concentrated at one epoch has been considered. However, it is expected that PBH formation is possible over a broad range of epochs if the density fluctuation has a rather large amplitude and smooth scale dependence. In this paper, we study the PBH formation for both types assuming the power spectrum of double inflationary models in which the small scale fluctuations could have large amplitudes independent of the CMBR anisotropy. The mass spectrum of Type II PBHs is newly constructed without limiting the PBH formation period. The double inflationary power spectrum is assumed to be of double simple power-law which are smoothly connected. Under the assumed power spectrum, the accumulation of small PBHs formed at later times is important and the mass range is significantly broadened for both Types. The PBH mass spectra are far smoother than the observed MACHO spectrum due to our assumption of a smooth spectrum. In order to fit the observation, a more spiky spectrum is required.

It is believed that primordial black holes (PBHs), if they exist, can serve as a powerful tool to probe the early stage of the cosmic history. Essentially, in the radiation-dominated universe, PBHs could form by the gravitational collapse of overdense primordial perturbations produced during inflation. In this picture, one important ingredient is the threshold of density contrast, which defines the onset of PBH formation. In the literature, most of the estimations of threshold, no matter numerically or analytically, are implemented in the framework of general relativity (GR). In this paper, by performing analytic estimations, we point out that the threshold for PBH formation depends on the gravitational theory under consideration. In GR, given a fixed equation of state, the analytic estimations adopted in this paper give a constant value of the formation threshold. If the theory is characterized by additional mass scales other than the Planck mass, the estimated threshold of density contrast may depend on the energy scale of the universe at the time of PBH formation. In this paper, we consider the Eddington-inspired-Born–Infeld gravity as an example. We find that the threshold would be enhanced if the Born–Infeld coupling constant is positive, and would be suppressed for a negative coupling constant. Also, we show explicitly that the threshold depends on the energy scale of the universe at the PBH formation time. This conclusion is expected to be valid for any gravitational theory characterized by additional mass scales, suggesting the possibility of testing gravitational theories with PBHs.

Gravitational-wave (GW) observations from neutron stars (NSs) in a binary system provide an excellent scenario to constrain the nuclear parameters. The investigation of Pratten et al. has shown that the ignorance of f-mode dynamical tidal correction in the GW waveform model of the binary NS system can lead to substantial bias in the measurement of NS properties and NS equations of state. In this work, we investigate the bias in the nuclear parameters resulting from the ignorance of dynamical tidal correction. In addition, this work demonstrates the sensitivity of the nuclear parameters and the estimated constraints on nuclear parameters and NS properties from future GW observations. We infer the nuclear parameters from GW observations by describing the NS matter within the relativistic mean field model. For a population of GW events, we notice that the ignorance of dynamical tide predicts a lower median for nucleon effective mass (m*) by ∼6% compared to the scenario when dynamical tidal correction is considered. Whereas, at a 90% credible interval, m* gets constrained up to ∼5% and ∼3% in A+ (the LIGO-Virgo detectors with a sensitivity of the fifth observing run) and Cosmic Explorer, respectively. We also discuss the resulting constraints on all other nuclear parameters, including compressibility, symmetry energy, and slope of symmetry energy, considering an ensemble of GW events. We do not notice any significant impact in analyzing nuclear parameters other than m* due to the ignorance of f-mode dynamical tides.

The possible existence of primordial black holes in the stellar-mass window has received considerable attention because their mergers may contribute to current and future gravitational-wave detections. Primordial black hole mergers, together with mergers of black holes originating from Population III stars, are expected to dominate at high redshifts (z ≳ 10). However, the primordial black hole merger rate density is expected to rise monotonically with redshift, while Population III mergers can only occur after the birth of the first stars. Next-generation gravitational-wave detectors such as the Cosmic Explorer (CE) and Einstein Telescope (ET) can access this distinctive feature in the merger rates as functions of redshift, allowing for direct measurement of the abundance of the two populations and hence for robust constraints on the abundance of primordial black holes. We simulate four months’ worth of data observed by a CE-ET detector network and perform hierarchical Bayesian analysis to recover the merger rate densities. We find that if the universe has no primordial black holes with masses of , the projected upper limit on their abundance f PBH as a fraction of dark matter energy density may be as low as , about two orders of magnitude lower than the current upper limits in this mass range. If instead f PBH ≳ 10−4, future gravitational-wave observations would exclude f PBH = 0 at the 95% credible interval.

The nonlinear memory effect is a slowly growing, non-oscillatory contribution to the gravitational-wave amplitude. It originates from gravitational waves that are sourced by the previously emitted waves. In an ideal gravitational-wave interferometer a gravitational wave with memory causes a permanent displacement of the test masses that persists after the wave has passed. Surprisingly, the nonlinear memory affects the signal amplitude starting at leading (Newtonian-quadrupole) order. Despite this fact, the nonlinear memory is not easily extracted from current numerical relativity simulations. After reviewing the linear and nonlinear memory I summarize some recent work, including (1) computations of the memory contribution to the inspiral waveform amplitude (thus completing the waveform to third post-Newtonian order); (2) the first calculations of the nonlinear memory that include all phases of binary black hole coalescence (inspiral, merger, ringdown); and (3) realistic estimates of the detectability of the memory with LISA.

In this study, we investigate the formation of primordial black holes (PBHs) in a scalar field inflationary model coupled to the Gauss–Bonnet term with fractional power-law potentials. The coupling function enhances the curvature perturbations, then results in the generation of PBHs and detectable secondary gravitational waves (GWs). We identify three separate sets of parameters for the potential functions of the form ϕ 1/3, ϕ 2/5, and ϕ 2/3. By adjusting the model parameters, we decelerate the inflaton during the ultra-slow-roll phase and enhance curvature perturbations. Our calculations predict the formation of PBHs with masses of O(10)M⊙ , which are compatible with LIGO-Virgo observational data. Additionally, we find PBHs with masses around O(10−6)M⊙ and O(10−5)M⊙ , which can explain ultra-short-timescale microlensing events in OGLE data. Furthermore, our proposed mechanism could lead to the formation of PBHs in mass scales around O(10−14)M⊙ and O(10−13)M⊙ , contributing to approximately 99% of the dark matter in the Universe. We also study the production of secondary GWs in our model. In all cases of the model, the density parameter of secondary GWs ΩGW0 exhibits peaks that intersect the sensitivity curves of GW detectors, providing a means to verify our findings using data of these detectors. Our numerical results demonstrate a power-law behavior for the spectra of ΩGW0 with respect to frequency, given by ΩGW0(f)∼(f/fc)n . Additionally, in the infrared regime where f ≪ f c , the power index takes a log-dependent form, specifically n=3−2/ln(fc/f) .

Gravitational waves from subsolar mass inspiraling compact objects would provide almost smoking-gun evidence for primordial black holes (PBHs). We perform the first search for inspiraling planetary-mass compact objects in equal-mass and highly asymmetric mass-ratio binaries using data from the first half of the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA third observing run. Though we do not find any significant candidates, we determine the maximum luminosity distance reachable with our search to be of O(0.1-100) kpc, and corresponding model-independent upper limits on the merger rate densities to be O(10^{3}-10^{-7}) kpc^{-3} yr^{-1} for systems with chirp masses of O(10^{-4}-10^{-2})M_{⊙}, respectively. Furthermore, we interpret these rate densities as arising from PBH binaries and constrain the fraction of dark matter that such objects could comprise. For equal-mass PBH binaries, we find that these objects would compose less than 4%-100% of DM for PBH masses of 10^{-2}M_{⊙} to 2×10^{-3}M_{⊙}, respectively. For asymmetric binaries, assuming one black hole mass corresponds to a peak in the mass function at 2.5M_{⊙}, a PBH dark-matter fraction of 10% and a second, much lighter PBH, we constrain the mass function of the second PBH to be less than 1 for masses between 1.5×10^{-5}M_{⊙} and 2×10^{-4}M_{⊙}. Our constraints, recently released, are robust enough to be applied to any PBH or exotic compact object binary formation models, and complement existence microlensing results.

Here, we explore the formation of primordial black holes (PBHs) within a scalar field inflationary model coupled to the Gauss-Bonnet (GB) term, incorporating the low-scale spontaneously broken supersymmetric (SB SUSY) potential.The coupling function amplifies the curvature perturbations, consequently leading to the formation of PBHs and detectable secondary gravitational waves (GWs).Through the adjustment of the model parameters, the inflaton can be decelerated during an ultra-slow-roll (USR) phase, thereby augmenting curvature perturbations. Beside the observational constraints, the swampland criteria are investigated.Our computations forecast the formation of PBHs with masses around 𝒪(10)M ⊙, aligning with the observational data of LIGO-Virgo, and PBHs with masses 𝒪(10-6)M ⊙ as potential explanation for the ultrashort-timescale microlensing events recorded in the OGLE data.Additionally, our proposed mechanism can generate PBHs with masses around 𝒪(10-13)M ⊙, constituting roughly 99% of the dark matter.The density parameters of the produced GWs (ΩGW 0) intersect with the sensitivity curves of GW detectors. Two cases of our model fall within the nano-Hz frequency regime. One of them satisfies the power-law scaling as ΩGW(f) ∼ f 5-γ, with the γ = 3.51, which is consistent with the data of NANOGrav 15-year.

Primordial black holes (PBHs) can generically form in inflationary setups through the collapse of enhanced cosmological perturbations, providing us access to the early Universe through their associated observational signatures. In the current work we propose a new mechanism of PBH production within non-canonical inflation, using a class of steep-deformed inflationary potentials compatible with natural values for the non-canonical exponents. In particular, requiring significant PBH production we extract constraints on the non-canonical exponents. Additionally, we find that our scenario can lead to the formation of asteroid-mass PBHs, which can account for the totality of the dark matter, as well as to production of solar-mass PBHs within the LIGO-VIRGO detection band. Finally, we find that the enhanced cosmological perturbations which collapse to form PBHs can produce a stochastic gravitational-wave (GW) background induced by second-order gravitational interactions. Very interestingly, we obtain a GW signal detectable by future GW experiments, in particular by SKA, LISA and BBO.