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We derive the first constraints on the time delay distribution of binary black hole (BBH) mergers using the LIGO-Virgo Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog GWTC-2. Assuming that the progenitor formation rate follows the star formation rate (SFR), the data favor that $43$--$100%$ of mergers have delay times $<4.5$ Gyr (90% credibility). Adopting a model for the metallicity evolution, we derive joint constraints for the metallicity-dependence of the BBH formation efficiency and the distribution of time delays between formation and merger. Short time delays are favored regardless of the assumed metallicity dependence, although the preference for short delays weakens as we consider stricter low-metallicity thresholds for BBH formation. For a $p(tau) propto tau^{-1}$ time delay distribution and a progenitor formation rate that follows the SFR without metallicity dependence, we find that $tau_mathrm{min}<2.2$ Gyr, whereas considering only the low-metallicity $Z < 0.3,Z_odot$ SFR, $tau_mathrm{min} < 3.0$ Gyr (90% credibility). Alternatively, if we assume long time delays, the progenitor formation rate must peak at higher redshifts than the SFR. For example, for a $p(tau) propto tau^{-1}$ time delay distribution with $tau_mathrm{min} = 4$ Gyr, the inferred progenitor rate peaks at $z > 3.9$ (90% credibility). Finally, we explore whether the inferred formation rate and time delay distribution vary with BBH mass.
We study the evolution of the binary black hole (BBH) mass distribution across cosmic time. The second gravitational-wave transient catalog (GWTC-2) from LIGO/Virgo contains BBH events out to redshifts $z sim 1$, with component masses in the range $s
The distribution of effective spin $chi_{rm eff}$, a parameter that encodes the degree of spin-orbit alignment in a binary system, has been widely regarded as a robust discriminator between the isolated and dynamical formation pathways for merging bi
We show how LIGO is expected to detect coalescing binary black holes at $z>1$, that are lensed by the intervening galaxy population. Gravitational magnification, $mu$, strengthens gravitational wave signals by $sqrt{mu}$, without altering their frequ
We introduce a semi-parametric model for the primary mass distribution of binary black holes (BBHs) observed with gravitational waves (GWs) that applies a cubic-spline perturbation to a power law. We apply this model to the 46 BBHs included in the se
All ten LIGO/Virgo binary black hole (BH-BH) coalescences reported from the O1/O2 runs have near zero effective spins. There are only three potential explanations of this fact. If the BH spin magnitudes are large then (i) either both BH spin vectors