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Free keywords:
General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology, gr-qc,High Energy Physics - Phenomenology, hep-ph,High Energy Physics - Theory, hep-th
Abstract:
Gravitational-wave observations of coalescing binary systems allow for novel
tests of the strong-field regime of gravity. Using data from the Gravitational
Wave Open Science Center (GWOSC) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors, we place the
first constraints on an effective--field-theory based extension of General
Relativity in which higher-order curvature terms are added to the
Einstein-Hilbert action. We construct gravitational-wave templates describing
the quasi-circular, adiabatic inspiral phase of binary black holes in this
extended theory of gravity. Then, after explaining how to properly take into
account the region of validity of the effective field theory when performing
tests of General Relativity, we perform Bayesian model selection using the two
lowest-mass binary--black-hole events reported to date by LIGO and
Virgo---GW151226 and GW170608---and constrain this theory with respect to
General Relativity. We find that these data can rule out the appearance of new
physics on distance scales of 70-200 km. Finally, we describe a general
strategy for improving constraints as more observations will become available
with future detectors on the ground and in space.
