GW170608: observation of a 19-solar-mass Binary Black Hole Coalescence

The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, Virgo Collaboration, D. Keitel, A. P. Lundgren, L. K. Nuttall

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Abstract

On 2017 June 8 at 02:01:16.49 UTC, a gravitational-wave (GW) signal from the merger of two stellar-mass black holes was observed by the two Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory detectors with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 13. This system is the lightest black hole binary so far observed, with component masses of ${12}_{-2}^{+7}\,{M}_{\odot }$ and ${7}_{-2}^{+2}\,{M}_{\odot }$ (90% credible intervals). These lie in the range of measured black hole masses in low-mass X-ray binaries, thus allowing us to compare black holes detected through GWs with electromagnetic observations. The source's luminosity distance is ${340}_{-140}^{+140}\,\mathrm{Mpc}$, corresponding to redshift ${0.07}_{-0.03}^{+0.03}$. We verify that the signal waveform is consistent with the predictions of general relativity.
Original languageEnglish
Article numberL35
JournalAstrophysical Journal Letters
Volume851
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18 Dec 2017

Keywords

  • astro-ph.HE
  • gr-qc
  • RCUK
  • STFC

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