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Abstract

Compact binary coalescence and the science case for Einstein Telescope

Einstein Telescope (ET) is a third generation ground-based gravitational wave detector that is currently undergoing a design study funded by the European Framework Programme-7. With a sensitivity that is an order of magnitude better in strain than advanced detectors, ET is expected to detect several hundreds of thousands of stellar mass compact binary coalescences up to redshifts z ~ 2-8, depending on the masses of the component objects. After briefly introducing ET itself, I will discuss its science potential, with a focus on binary coalescence in particular. ET would be able to measure the mass function of neutron stars, thereby helping to constrain the neutron star equation of state. If short-hard gamma ray bursts are caused by binary neutron star or neutron-star black hole coalescences then ET could aid in elucidating the details of the mechanism. ET would enable us to track the evolution of the stellar mass black hole population over cosmological timescales, thus shedding light on their progenitor channels and star formation in general. A particularly tantalizing possibility is the use of large numbers of coalescences as ``standard sirens" and determine cosmological parameters such as the dark energy equation-of-state parameter w, without having to rely on a cosmic distance ladder.

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