Predicting how accurately one can determine the coefficients from a perturbative solution to gravitational wave signals from coalescing binary black holes
by Sander de Boer
A global network of gravitational waves detectors is currently under construction , and a first detection is expected before the end of the decade. Among the most promising sources of gravitational waves are binary black holes which spiral towards each other and merge. Although the two body problem of general relativity has no analytic solution, there exists a perturbative treatment in powers of v/c, with v a characteristic velocity; this is the so called post Newtonian approximation. General relativity requires precise relationships between the coefficients appearing in these expansions. The aim of the project is to predict how accurately one would be able to determine these coefficients from the gravitational wave signals, in particular the ones which are associated with the non-linear character of GR. In turn, this would tell us to what extent a test of GR based on consistency between the coefficients will be possible. In turn, this would tell us to what extent a test of general relativity based on consistency between the coefficients will be possible.
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