Exploring binary black hole mergers and host galaxies with SHARK and COMPAS

Liana Rauf; Cullan Howlett; Tamara M. Davis; Claudia D.P. Lagos

doi:10.1093/mnras/stad1757

Exploring binary black hole mergers and host galaxies with SHARK and COMPAS

Liana Rauf, Cullan Howlett, Tamara M. Davis, Claudia D.P. Lagos

International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR)

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9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We explore the connection between the gravitational wave (GW) merger rates of stellar-mass binary black holes (BBHs) and galaxy properties. We do this by generating populations of stars using the binary population synthesis code COMPAS and evolving them in galaxies from the semi-analytic galaxy formation model SHARK, to determine the number of mergers occurring in each simulation time-step. We find that metal-rich and massive galaxies with star formation rate (SFR) greater than 1 M_☉ yr⁻¹ are 10 times more likely to have GW events compared to younger, less massive, and metal-poor galaxies. Our simulation with the default input parameters predicts a higher local merger rate density compared to the third GW transient catalogue (GWTC-3) prediction from LIGO, VIRGO, and KAGRA, due to short coalescence times, low metallicities, and a high SFR at low redshift in the simulation, which produces more BBHs that merge within the age of the Universe compared to observations. We identify alternate remnant mass models that more accurately reproduce the volumetric rate and provide updated fits to the merger rate as a function of redshift. We then investigate the relative fraction of GW events in our simulation that are in observable host galaxies from upcoming galaxy surveys, determining which of those are ideal for tracing host galaxies with high merger rates. The implications of this work can be utilized for constraining stellar evolution models, better informing follow-up programs, and placing informative priors on host galaxies when measuring cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	5719-5737
Number of pages	19
Journal	Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume	523
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/stad1757
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2023

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10.1093/mnras/stad1757Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{f8191d6af30d447cb82beb549e2e8855,

title = "Exploring binary black hole mergers and host galaxies with SHARK and COMPAS",

abstract = "We explore the connection between the gravitational wave (GW) merger rates of stellar-mass binary black holes (BBHs) and galaxy properties. We do this by generating populations of stars using the binary population synthesis code COMPAS and evolving them in galaxies from the semi-analytic galaxy formation model SHARK, to determine the number of mergers occurring in each simulation time-step. We find that metal-rich and massive galaxies with star formation rate (SFR) greater than 1 M☉ yr−1 are 10 times more likely to have GW events compared to younger, less massive, and metal-poor galaxies. Our simulation with the default input parameters predicts a higher local merger rate density compared to the third GW transient catalogue (GWTC-3) prediction from LIGO, VIRGO, and KAGRA, due to short coalescence times, low metallicities, and a high SFR at low redshift in the simulation, which produces more BBHs that merge within the age of the Universe compared to observations. We identify alternate remnant mass models that more accurately reproduce the volumetric rate and provide updated fits to the merger rate as a function of redshift. We then investigate the relative fraction of GW events in our simulation that are in observable host galaxies from upcoming galaxy surveys, determining which of those are ideal for tracing host galaxies with high merger rates. The implications of this work can be utilized for constraining stellar evolution models, better informing follow-up programs, and placing informative priors on host galaxies when measuring cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant.",

keywords = "black hole physics, galaxies: star formation, gravitational waves, methods: analytical, methods: numerical, stars: evolution",

author = "Liana Rauf and Cullan Howlett and Davis, {Tamara M.} and Lagos, {Claudia D.P.}",

note = "Funding Information: We sincerely thank Ilya Mandel for his suggestions on aspects of this work and insight into which COMPAS input parameters to explore for this paper. We thank Jeff Riley and Mike Lau for assisting in the initial set-up of COMPAS and with interpreting the compiler files. We also thank Mat{\'i}as Bravo for helpful discussions regarding Shark . CL has received funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D), through project number CE170100013. This work was supported by resources provided by The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre with funding from the Australian Government and the Government of Western Australia. This research was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship grant FL180100168. Funding Information: We sincerely thank Ilya Mandel for his suggestions on aspects of this work and insight into which COMPAS input parameters to explore for this paper. We thank Jeff Riley and Mike Lau for assisting in the initial set-up of COMPAS and with interpreting the compiler files. We also thank Mat{\'i}as Bravo for helpful discussions regarding SHARK. CL has received funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D), through project number CE170100013. This work was supported by resources provided by The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre with funding from the Australian Government and the Government of Western Australia. This research was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship grant FL180100168. We thank Christopher Berry for providing feedback on the first version of the paper. We also thank the reviewer for taking the time and effort to review the manuscript. We appreciate their valuable comments, which helped improve the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2023.",

year = "2023",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/mnras/stad1757",

language = "English",

volume = "523",

pages = "5719--5737",

journal = "Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society",

issn = "0035-8711",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

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T1 - Exploring binary black hole mergers and host galaxies with SHARK and COMPAS

AU - Rauf, Liana

AU - Howlett, Cullan

AU - Davis, Tamara M.

AU - Lagos, Claudia D.P.

N1 - Funding Information: We sincerely thank Ilya Mandel for his suggestions on aspects of this work and insight into which COMPAS input parameters to explore for this paper. We thank Jeff Riley and Mike Lau for assisting in the initial set-up of COMPAS and with interpreting the compiler files. We also thank Matías Bravo for helpful discussions regarding Shark . CL has received funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D), through project number CE170100013. This work was supported by resources provided by The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre with funding from the Australian Government and the Government of Western Australia. This research was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship grant FL180100168. Funding Information: We sincerely thank Ilya Mandel for his suggestions on aspects of this work and insight into which COMPAS input parameters to explore for this paper. We thank Jeff Riley and Mike Lau for assisting in the initial set-up of COMPAS and with interpreting the compiler files. We also thank Matías Bravo for helpful discussions regarding SHARK. CL has received funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D), through project number CE170100013. This work was supported by resources provided by The Pawsey Supercomputing Centre with funding from the Australian Government and the Government of Western Australia. This research was supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship grant FL180100168. We thank Christopher Berry for providing feedback on the first version of the paper. We also thank the reviewer for taking the time and effort to review the manuscript. We appreciate their valuable comments, which helped improve the manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2023.

PY - 2023/8/1

Y1 - 2023/8/1

N2 - We explore the connection between the gravitational wave (GW) merger rates of stellar-mass binary black holes (BBHs) and galaxy properties. We do this by generating populations of stars using the binary population synthesis code COMPAS and evolving them in galaxies from the semi-analytic galaxy formation model SHARK, to determine the number of mergers occurring in each simulation time-step. We find that metal-rich and massive galaxies with star formation rate (SFR) greater than 1 M☉ yr−1 are 10 times more likely to have GW events compared to younger, less massive, and metal-poor galaxies. Our simulation with the default input parameters predicts a higher local merger rate density compared to the third GW transient catalogue (GWTC-3) prediction from LIGO, VIRGO, and KAGRA, due to short coalescence times, low metallicities, and a high SFR at low redshift in the simulation, which produces more BBHs that merge within the age of the Universe compared to observations. We identify alternate remnant mass models that more accurately reproduce the volumetric rate and provide updated fits to the merger rate as a function of redshift. We then investigate the relative fraction of GW events in our simulation that are in observable host galaxies from upcoming galaxy surveys, determining which of those are ideal for tracing host galaxies with high merger rates. The implications of this work can be utilized for constraining stellar evolution models, better informing follow-up programs, and placing informative priors on host galaxies when measuring cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant.

AB - We explore the connection between the gravitational wave (GW) merger rates of stellar-mass binary black holes (BBHs) and galaxy properties. We do this by generating populations of stars using the binary population synthesis code COMPAS and evolving them in galaxies from the semi-analytic galaxy formation model SHARK, to determine the number of mergers occurring in each simulation time-step. We find that metal-rich and massive galaxies with star formation rate (SFR) greater than 1 M☉ yr−1 are 10 times more likely to have GW events compared to younger, less massive, and metal-poor galaxies. Our simulation with the default input parameters predicts a higher local merger rate density compared to the third GW transient catalogue (GWTC-3) prediction from LIGO, VIRGO, and KAGRA, due to short coalescence times, low metallicities, and a high SFR at low redshift in the simulation, which produces more BBHs that merge within the age of the Universe compared to observations. We identify alternate remnant mass models that more accurately reproduce the volumetric rate and provide updated fits to the merger rate as a function of redshift. We then investigate the relative fraction of GW events in our simulation that are in observable host galaxies from upcoming galaxy surveys, determining which of those are ideal for tracing host galaxies with high merger rates. The implications of this work can be utilized for constraining stellar evolution models, better informing follow-up programs, and placing informative priors on host galaxies when measuring cosmological parameters such as the Hubble constant.

KW - black hole physics

KW - galaxies: star formation

KW - gravitational waves

KW - methods: analytical

KW - methods: numerical

KW - stars: evolution

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85164771756&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/mnras/stad1757

DO - 10.1093/mnras/stad1757

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85164771756

SN - 0035-8711

VL - 523

SP - 5719

EP - 5737

JO - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

JF - Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

IS - 4

ER -

Exploring binary black hole mergers and host galaxies with SHARK and COMPAS

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Exploring binary black hole mergers and host galaxies with SHARK and COMPAS

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