Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-20-2017

Journal / Book Title

The Astrophysical Journal Letters

Abstract

On 2017 June 8 at 02:01:16.49 UTC, a gravitational-wave (GW) signal from the merger of two stellar-mass blackholes was observed by the two Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory detectors with anetwork signal-to-noise ratio of 13. This system is the lightest black hole binary so far observed, with componentmasses of 12+7-2M⊙7+2-2 (90% credible intervals). These lie in the range of measured black hole masses inlow-mass X-ray binaries, thus allowing us to compare black holes detected through GWs with electromagneticobservations. The source's luminosity distance is 340+140-140corresponding to redshift -0.07+0.03003. We verify thatthe signal waveform is consistent with the predictions of general relativity.

DOI

10.3847/2041-8213/aa9f0c

Published Citation

Abbott, B. P., Abbott, R., Abbott, T. D., Acernese, F., Ackley, K., Adams, C., ... & Calloni, E. (2017). GW170608: observation of a 19 solar-mass binary black hole coalescence. The Astrophysical Journal Letters, 851(2), L35.

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