Multidetector characterization of gravitational-wave burst tensor polarizations with the BayesWave algorithm

Abstract

Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts that gravitational waves (GWs) are tensor-polarized, with two modes of polarization: plus (h+) and cross (h×). The unmodeled GW burst analysis pipeline, BayesWave, offers two tensor-polarized signal models: the elliptical polarization model (E) and the relaxed polarization model (R). Future expansion of the global GW detector network will enable more accurate studies of GW polarizations with GW bursts. Here a multidetector analysis is conducted to compare the performance of E and R in characterizing elliptical and nonelliptical GW polarizations, using nonprecessing and precessing binary black holes (BBHs) respectively as representative synthet..