# Accuracy of inference on the physics of binary evolution from gravitational-wave observations

**Authors:** Jim W. Barrett, Sebastian M. Gaebel, Coenraad J. Neijssel, Alejandro Vigna-Gómez, Simon Stevenson, Christopher P. L. Berry, Will M. Farr, Ilya Mandel  
**arXiv:** [1711.06287](https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.06287)  
**Date:** 2017-11-16  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/1711.06287v2/

## Key points

- Study focuses on properties of merging binary black holes
- Insights into evolution of massive stars in binaries
- Ground-based gravitational-wave detectors used to measure merger rate and chirp mass distribution
- Fisher information matrix applied to simulated population of merging black holes
- Investigates variations in COMPAS parameters: common envelope efficiency, kick velocity dispersion, and mass loss rates during stellar evolutionary phases
- Model parameters can be constrained with a fractional accuracy of a few percent
- Gravitational-wave observations alone can place strong constraints on understanding of stellar and binary evolution within a few years
- Contributes to advancing knowledge of binary evolution physics through gravitational-wave observations
- Provides insights into properties and behavior of merging binary black holes
- Physical models related to stellar and binary evolution can be constrained using data from gravitational wave detectors with a fractional accuracy of a few percent.

## Summary

This study focuses on the properties of merging binary black holes and how they can provide insights into the uncertain physics of the evolution of massive stars in binaries. The researchers use ground-based gravitational-wave detectors to measure the binary black hole merger rate and chirp mass distribution. To accurately constrain the physical model, they apply the Fisher information matrix to a simulated population of merging black holes generated by the COMPAS rapid binary population synthesis code. The study investigates variations in four COMPAS parameters: common envelope efficiency, kick velocity dispersion, and mass loss rates during the luminous blue variable and Wolf-Rayet stellar evolutionary phases. By analyzing 1000 observations, the researchers find that these model parameters can be constrained with a fractional accuracy of a few percent. The authors highlight that given the empirically determined binary black hole merger rate, gravitational-wave observations alone have the potential to place strong constraints on our understanding of stellar and binary evolution within a few years. Overall, this research contributes significantly to advancing our knowledge of binary evolution physics through gravitational-wave observations and provides valuable insights into the properties and behavior of merging binary black holes. With its findings, this study demonstrates that it is possible to constrain physical models related to stellar and binary evolution using data from gravitational wave detectors with a fractional accuracy of a few percent.