Observation of Gravitational Waves from the Coalescence of a 2.5–4.5Me Compact Object and a Neutron Star

LIGO Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, KAGRA Collaboration

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

We report the observation of a coalescing compact binary with component masses 2.5–4.5 Me and 1.2–2.0 Me (all measurements quoted at the 90% credible level). The gravitational-wave signal GW230529_181500 was observed during the fourth observing run of the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA detector network on 2023 May 29 by the LIGO Livingston observatory. The primary component of the source has a mass less than 5 Me at 99% credibility. We cannot definitively determine from gravitational-wave data alone whether either component of the source is a neutron star or a black hole. However, given existing estimates of the maximum neutron star mass, we find the most probable interpretation of the source to be the coalescence of a neutron star with a black hole that has a mass between the most massive neutron stars and the least massive black holes observed in the Galaxy. We provisionally estimate a merger rate density of 55-+47127 Gpc-3 yr-1 for compact binary coalescences with properties similar to the source of GW230529_181500; assuming that the source is a neutron star–black hole merger, GW230529_181500-like sources may make up the majority of neutron star–black hole coalescences. The discovery of this system implies an increase in the expected rate of neutron star–black hole mergers with electromagnetic counterparts and provides further evidence for compact objects existing within the purported lower mass gap.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL34
Pages (from-to)1-39
Number of pages39
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume970
Issue number2
Early online date26 Jul 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024. The Author(s).

Funding

FundersFunder number
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
Ministry of Education, India
Australian Research Council
ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research
Comunitat Autonòma de les Illes Balears
National Research Foundation of Korea
Conselleria d’Innovació Universitats, Ciència i Societat Digital de la Generalitat Valenciana
Narodowe Centrum Nauki
Scottish Universities Physics Alliance
National Science Foundation
Science and Technology Facilities Council
Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning
Paris Ile-de-France Region
Scottish Funding Council
Actions de Recherche Concertées
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
French Lyon Institute of Origins
Direcció General de Recerca, Generalitat de Catalunya
Leverhulme Trust
Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information
Science and Engineering Research Board
Generalitat de Catalunya
Instituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, India
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
European Union NextGenerationEU
Canada Foundation for Innovation
Kavli Foundation
Nemzeti Kutatási Fejlesztési és Innovációs Hivatal
European Commission
European Social Fund Plus
U.S. Department of Energy
International Council of Shopping Centers
Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovations
Agencia Estatal de Investigación
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee
Academia Sinica
Russian Science Foundation
National Science and Technology Council
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek— Vlaanderen
State of Niedersachsen
Fundacja na rzecz Nauki Polskiej
Hungarian Scientific Research Fund
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
Fonds De La Recherche Scientifique - FNRS
Royal Society
National Research Foundation
European Regional Development Fund
Ministerstwo Edukacji i Nauki
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek—Vlaanderen
University of Tokyo
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Japan Society for the Promotion of ScienceJP20H05854, 17H06133, JP17H06361, JP17H06364, 20A203, JP17H06358, 20H05639
Tourist Stay Tax LawITS 2017-006
PRTRPRTR-C17

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