Constraining delay time distribution of binary neutron star mergers from host galaxy properties
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Constraining delay time distribution of binary neutron star mergers from host galaxy properties. / McCarthy, Kevin S.; Zheng, Zheng; Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico.
I: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Bind 499, Nr. 4, 16.11.2020, s. 5220-5229.Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › fagfællebedømt
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Constraining delay time distribution of binary neutron star mergers from host galaxy properties
AU - McCarthy, Kevin S.
AU - Zheng, Zheng
AU - Ramirez-Ruiz, Enrico
PY - 2020/11/16
Y1 - 2020/11/16
N2 - Gravitational wave (GW) observatories are discovering binary neutron star mergers (BNSMs), and in at least one event we were able to track it down in multiple wavelengths of light, which allowed us to identify the host galaxy. Using a catalogue of local galaxies with inferred star formation histories and adopting a BNSM delay time distribution (DTD) model, we investigate the dependence of BNSM rate on an array of galaxy properties. Compared to the intrinsic property distribution of galaxies, that of BNSM host galaxies is skewed towards galaxies with redder colour, lower specific star formation rate, higher luminosity, and higher stellar mass, reflecting the tendency of higher BNSM rates in more massive galaxies. We introduce a formalism to efficiently make forecast on using host galaxy properties to constrain DTD models. We find comparable constraints from the dependence of BNSM occurrence distribution on galaxy colour, specific star formation rate, and stellar mass, all better than those from dependence on r-band luminosity. The tightest constraints come from using individual star formation histories of host galaxies, which reduces the uncertainties on DTD parameters by a factor of three or more. Substantially different DTD models can be differentiated with about 10 BNSM detections. To constrain DTD parameters at 10 per cent precision level requires about one hundred detections, achievable with GW observations on a decade time-scale.
AB - Gravitational wave (GW) observatories are discovering binary neutron star mergers (BNSMs), and in at least one event we were able to track it down in multiple wavelengths of light, which allowed us to identify the host galaxy. Using a catalogue of local galaxies with inferred star formation histories and adopting a BNSM delay time distribution (DTD) model, we investigate the dependence of BNSM rate on an array of galaxy properties. Compared to the intrinsic property distribution of galaxies, that of BNSM host galaxies is skewed towards galaxies with redder colour, lower specific star formation rate, higher luminosity, and higher stellar mass, reflecting the tendency of higher BNSM rates in more massive galaxies. We introduce a formalism to efficiently make forecast on using host galaxy properties to constrain DTD models. We find comparable constraints from the dependence of BNSM occurrence distribution on galaxy colour, specific star formation rate, and stellar mass, all better than those from dependence on r-band luminosity. The tightest constraints come from using individual star formation histories of host galaxies, which reduces the uncertainties on DTD parameters by a factor of three or more. Substantially different DTD models can be differentiated with about 10 BNSM detections. To constrain DTD parameters at 10 per cent precision level requires about one hundred detections, achievable with GW observations on a decade time-scale.
KW - gravitational waves
KW - stars: neutron
KW - galaxies: star formation
KW - galaxies: statistics
KW - DIGITAL SKY SURVEY
KW - METALLICITY HISTORIES
KW - POPULATION SYNTHESIS
KW - FORMING GALAXIES
KW - R-PROCESS
KW - MASS
KW - ELEMENTS
KW - CATALOG
KW - ORIGIN
U2 - 10.1093/mnras/staa3206
DO - 10.1093/mnras/staa3206
M3 - Journal article
VL - 499
SP - 5220
EP - 5229
JO - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
JF - Royal Astronomical Society. Monthly Notices
SN - 0035-8711
IS - 4
ER -
ID: 255045991