Astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics with compact binary coalescence and the Einstein Telescope

The second-generation interferometric gravitational wave detectors currently under construction are expected to make their first detections within this decade. This will firmly establish gravitational wave physics as an empirical science and will open up a new era in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics. Already with the first detections, we will be able to, among other things, establish the nature of short-hard gamma ray bursts, definitively confirm the existence of black holes, measure the Hubble constant in a completely independent way, and for the first time gain access to the genuinely strong-field dynamics of gravity. Hence it is timely to consider the longer-term future of this new field. The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a concrete conceptual proposal for a third-generation gravitational wave observatory, which will be ~10 times more sensitive in strain than the second-generation detectors. This will give access to sources at cosmological distances, with a correspondingly higher detection rate. I give an overview of the science case for ET, with a focus on what can be learned from signals emitted by coalescing compact binaries. Third-generation observatories will allow us to map the coalescence rate out to redshifts z ~ 3, determine the mass functions of neutron stars and black holes, and perform precision measurements of the neutron star equation of state. ET will enable us to study the large-scale structure and evolution of the Universe without recourse to a cosmic distance ladder. Finally, I discuss how it will allow for high-precision measurements of strong-field, dynamical gravity.

Probing dynamical spacetimes with gravitational waves

This decade will see the first direct detections of gravitational waves by observatories such as Advanced LIGO and Virgo. Among the prime sources are coalescences of binary neutron stars and black holes, which are ideal probes of dynamical spacetime. This will herald a new era in the empirical study of gravitation. For the first time, we will have access to the genuinely strong-field dynamics, where low-energy imprints of quantum gravity may well show up. In addition, we will be able to search for effects which might only make their presence known at large distance scales, such as the ones that gravitational waves must traverse in going from source to observer. Finally, coalescing binaries can be used as cosmic distance markers, to study the large-scale structure and evolution of the Universe. With the advanced detector era fast approaching, concrete data analysis algorithms are being developed to look for deviations from general relativity in signals from coalescing binaries, taking into account the noisy detector output as well as the expectation that most sources will be near the threshold of detectability. Similarly, several practical methods have been proposed to use them for cosmology. We explain the state of the art, including the obstacles that still need to be overcome in order to make optimal use of the signals that will be detected. Although the emphasis will be on second-generation observatories, we will also discuss some of the science that could be done with future third-generation ground-based facilities such as Einstein Telescope, as well as with space-based detectors.

Compact binary coalescence and the science case for Einstein Telescope

Einstein Telescope (ET) is a possible third generation ground-based gravitational wave observatory for which a design study is currently being carried out. A brief (and non-exhaustive) overview is given of ETs projected capabilities regarding astrophysics and cosmology through observations of inspiraling and coalescing compact binaries. In particular, ET would give us unprecedented insight into the mass function of neutron stars and black holes, the internal structure of neutron stars, the evolution of coalescence rates over cosmological timescales, and the geometry and dynamics of the Universe as a whole.

LISA as a dark energy probe

Recently it was shown that the inclusion of higher signal harmonics in the inspiral signals of binary supermassive black holes (SMBH) leads to dramatic improvements in parameter estimation with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). In particular, the angular resolution becomes good enough to identify the host galaxy or galaxy cluster, in which case the redshift can be determined by electromagnetic means. The gravitational wave signal also provides the luminosity distance with high accuracy, and the relationship between this and the redshift depends sensitively on the cosmological parameters, such as the equation-of-state parameter $w=p_{rm DE}/rho_{rm DE}$ of dark energy. With a single binary SMBH event at $z < 1$ having appropriate masses and orientation, one would be able to constrain $w$ to within a few percent. We show that, if the measured sky location is folded into the error analysis, the uncertainty on $w$ goes down by an additional factor of 2-3, leaving weak lensing as the only limiting factor in using LISA as a dark energy probe.