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General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, gr-qc
Abstract:
We present a new phenomenological gravitational waveform model for the
inspiral and coalescence of non-precessing spinning black hole binaries. Our
approach is based on a frequency domain matching of post-Newtonian inspiral
waveforms with numerical relativity based binary black hole coalescence
waveforms. We quantify the various possible sources of systematic errors that
arise in matching post-Newtonian and numerical relativity waveforms, and we use
a matching criteria based on minimizing these errors; we find that the dominant
source of errors are those in the post-Newtonian waveforms near the merger. An
analytical formula for the dominant mode of the gravitational radiation of
non-precessing black hole binaries is presented that captures the phenomenology
of the hybrid waveforms. Its implementation in the current searches for
gravitational waves should allow cross-checks of other inspiral-merger-ringdown
waveform families and improve the reach of gravitational wave searches.