The first informative astrophysical calibration of gravitational-wave detectors is reported using GW240925 and GW250207.
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GWTC-4.0: Tests of General Relativity. II. Parameterized Tests
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In this second of three papers on tests of general relativity (GR) applied to the compact binary coalescence signals in the fourth Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog (GWTC-4.0), we present the results of the parameterized tests of GR and constraints on line-of-sight acceleration. We include events up to and including the first part of the fourth observing run (O4a) of the LIGO Virgo KAGRA detectors. As in the other two papers in this series, we restrict our analysis to the 42 confident signals, measured by at least two detectors, that have false alarm rates $\le 10^{-3} \mathrm{yr}^{-1}$ from O4a, in addition to the 49 such events from previous observing runs. This paper focuses on the eight tests that constrain parameterized deviations from the expected GR (or unaccelerated) values. These include modifications of post-Newtonian (PN) parameters, spin-induced quadrupole moments different from those of a binary black hole, and possible dispersive or birefringent propagation effects. Overall, we find no evidence for physics beyond GR, for spin-induced quadrupole moments different from those of a Kerr black hole in GR, or for line of sight acceleration, with more than 90% of the events including the null result (no deviation) within their 90% credible intervals. We discuss possible systematics affecting the other events and tests, even though they are statistically not surprising, given noise. We improve the bounds on deviations from the GR PN coefficients by factors of 1.2-5.5 and provide illustrative translations to constraints on some modified theories. Also, we update the bound on the mass of the graviton, at 90% credibility, to $m_g \leq 1.92\times 10^{-23} \mathrm{eV}/c^2$. Thus, we see that GR holds, and many of the bounds on possible deviations derived from our events are the best to date.
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2026 32representative citing papers
Numerical relativity simulations of black hole scattering in Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity agree closely with effective-one-body analytic predictions.
A first-principles energy-function calculation determines the quartic coefficient b0 whose sign sets the order of the spontaneous-scalarization phase transition in scalar-tensor neutron stars.
GW241011 data shows consistency with Kerr black holes for both quadrupole and octupole moments and delivers the first observational bounds on spin-induced octupole deviations.
All five NSBH events are consistent with zero line-of-sight acceleration; the joint posterior for GW200105_162426 disfavors both zero LOSA and zero eccentricity at 90% credibility.
Bayesian analysis of GW230627 and GW250114 finds no deviation from GR at 4PN and 4.5PN orders, setting the first empirical baseline with 90% intervals of order O(1)-O(10).
An external dynamical environment forms a resonant cavity with a black hole in dCS gravity that triggers Mathieu instability in the scalar sector, producing cascading amplification of gravitational waves via a delayed secondary burst.
In massive scalar-tensor gravity, rotating neutron stars that collapse emit nearly the same tensor gravitational waves as in general relativity, but lose about 10^-3 solar masses of energy in scalar radiation - far more than the quadrupole channel.
For a loud stellar-mass black hole binary, adding realistic orbital eccentricity to multiband Bayesian analysis weakens dipole-radiation constraints to |b|≲10⁻⁷, with strong degeneracies among dipole strength, chirp mass, and eccentricity.
Numerical simulations of equal-mass boson-star mergers reveal larger waveform deviations from black-hole binaries in late inspiral and merger, plus odd multipole excitations for certain scalar-field phases, with some signals degenerate until IMR consistency tests are applied.
Polynomial models for the (2,2) post-merger waveform amplitudes of eccentric non-spinning binary black holes are constructed from numerical-relativity data as functions of symmetric mass ratio and two merger-time dynamical parameters.
Leading-order deviations from general relativity in scalar quasinormal modes of rotating black holes are computed numerically up to dimensionless spins of 0.99 in quadratic-curvature scalar-tensor theories.
A mixture-model framework for combining gravitational-wave tests of General Relativity yields Bayes factors of 10-20 favoring GR, substantially lower than existing methods that assume uniform deviations across events.
Numerical relativity in the decoupling limit reveals dynamical scalarization and spin-induced (de)scalarization during hyperbolic black hole encounters for both signs of the coupling.
Bayesian analysis finds individual QNM frequencies near avoided crossings hard to resolve even under optimistic conditions, though collective AC waveform signatures may remain detectable if those modes dominate and slower-mode contamination is minimal.
Adding the electromagnetic polarization-angle prior to a PPE test of GW170817 tightens the scalar-breathing amplitude bound by ~60% and yields a non-significant ~2–3σ preference for a scalar mode.
Leading-order cubic-curvature corrections to scalar quasinormal modes of black holes with spins up to 0.99M are computed numerically for modes up to l=5 with relative errors below 10^{-4}.
Unmodeled point-mass lensing produces a spurious nonzero graviton mass posterior in GW231123 that vanishes when lensing is included in the analysis.
Third-generation gravitational-wave detectors can constrain frequency-dependent beyond-GR waveform modifications in the stochastic background, but modified propagation effects remain degenerate with astrophysical population parameters.
An idealized Gaussian model demonstrates that single-event correlations inflate uncertainties in population correlations and that catalog-wide correlated biases can be misread as population correlations.
92% of 91 LIGO black hole mergers favor non-zero V_GW, constraining bound remnants to at most 8% and finding no cosmological handedness preference with average near zero.
Implements consistent line-of-sight acceleration corrections in quasi-circular and eccentric GW waveform models, applies them to GWTC-3 events, and reports no substantial evidence for acceleration while warning of bias from inconsistent harmonic treatment.
Hierarchical Bayesian inference on GWTC-5.0 constrains the memory enhancement factor to 0.26 with large uncertainties consistent with the GR value of 1 and forecasts that 2000 detections are needed for a 1σ constraint away from zero.
Using TaylorF2 post-Newtonian waveforms truncated at ISCO, the study finds that Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer can reach SNR of 100-350 and measure primary spin to 10^{-4}-10^{-3} precision for 0.1-2 solar mass exotic compact objects.
citing papers explorer
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GW240925 and GW250207: Astrophysical Calibration of Gravitational-wave Detectors
The first informative astrophysical calibration of gravitational-wave detectors is reported using GW240925 and GW250207.
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Black-Hole Scattering in Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet: Numerical Relativity Meets Analytics
Numerical relativity simulations of black hole scattering in Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity agree closely with effective-one-body analytic predictions.
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Underlying mechanisms of phase transitions in scalar-tensor theories
A first-principles energy-function calculation determines the quartic coefficient b0 whose sign sets the order of the spontaneous-scalarization phase transition in scalar-tensor neutron stars.
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Testing the Kerr hypothesis beyond the quadrupole with GW241011
GW241011 data shows consistency with Kerr black holes for both quadrupole and octupole moments and delivers the first observational bounds on spin-induced octupole deviations.
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Joint inference of line-of-sight acceleration and orbital eccentricity in neutron-star--black-hole binaries
All five NSBH events are consistent with zero line-of-sight acceleration; the joint posterior for GW200105_162426 disfavors both zero LOSA and zero eccentricity at 90% credibility.
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Tests of general relativity at the fourth post-Newtonian order with GW230627 and GW250114
Bayesian analysis of GW230627 and GW250114 finds no deviation from GR at 4PN and 4.5PN orders, setting the first empirical baseline with 90% intervals of order O(1)-O(10).
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Cascading amplification of gravitational waves triggered by environment in dynamical Chern-Simons gravity
An external dynamical environment forms a resonant cavity with a black hole in dCS gravity that triggers Mathieu instability in the scalar sector, producing cascading amplification of gravitational waves via a delayed secondary burst.
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Rapidly Rotating Neutron Star Collapse in Massive Scalar-Tensor Theories
In massive scalar-tensor gravity, rotating neutron stars that collapse emit nearly the same tensor gravitational waves as in general relativity, but lose about 10^-3 solar masses of energy in scalar radiation - far more than the quadrupole channel.
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Constraining Dipole Radiation with Multiband Gravitational Waves from Eccentric Binary Black Holes
For a loud stellar-mass black hole binary, adding realistic orbital eccentricity to multiband Bayesian analysis weakens dipole-radiation constraints to |b|≲10⁻⁷, with strong degeneracies among dipole strength, chirp mass, and eccentricity.
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Lessons from binary dynamics of inspiralling equal-mass boson-star mergers
Numerical simulations of equal-mass boson-star mergers reveal larger waveform deviations from black-hole binaries in late inspiral and merger, plus odd multipole excitations for certain scalar-field phases, with some signals degenerate until IMR consistency tests are applied.
-
Highly eccentric non-spinning binary black hole mergers: quadrupolar post-merger waveforms
Polynomial models for the (2,2) post-merger waveform amplitudes of eccentric non-spinning binary black holes are constructed from numerical-relativity data as functions of symmetric mass ratio and two merger-time dynamical parameters.
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Quadratic gravity corrections to scalar QNMs of rapidly rotating black holes
Leading-order deviations from general relativity in scalar quasinormal modes of rotating black holes are computed numerically up to dimensionless spins of 0.99 in quadratic-curvature scalar-tensor theories.
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Testing General Relativity with GWTC-4.0 through mixture models
A mixture-model framework for combining gravitational-wave tests of General Relativity yields Bayes factors of 10-20 favoring GR, substantially lower than existing methods that assume uniform deviations across events.
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Scalarization and descalarization in hyperbolic encounters of black holes
Numerical relativity in the decoupling limit reveals dynamical scalarization and spin-induced (de)scalarization during hyperbolic black hole encounters for both signs of the coupling.
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Detectability of avoided crossings in black hole ringdowns
Bayesian analysis finds individual QNM frequencies near avoided crossings hard to resolve even under optimistic conditions, though collective AC waveform signatures may remain detectable if those modes dominate and slower-mode contamination is minimal.
-
Tests of scalar polarizations with multi-messenger events
Adding the electromagnetic polarization-angle prior to a PPE test of GW170817 tightens the scalar-breathing amplitude bound by ~60% and yields a non-significant ~2–3σ preference for a scalar mode.
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Ringing of rapidly rotating black holes in effective field theory
Leading-order cubic-curvature corrections to scalar quasinormal modes of black holes with spins up to 0.99M are computed numerically for modes up to l=5 with relative errors below 10^{-4}.
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GW231123: False Massive Graviton Signatures from Unmodeled Point-Mass Lensing
Unmodeled point-mass lensing produces a spurious nonzero graviton mass posterior in GW231123 that vanishes when lensing is included in the analysis.
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Modeling Uncertainties in Modified Gravity Predictions for the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background
Third-generation gravitational-wave detectors can constrain frequency-dependent beyond-GR waveform modifications in the stochastic background, but modified propagation effects remain degenerate with astrophysical population parameters.
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Population-level correlations in Bayesian statistics: an illustrative model for gravitational-wave astronomy
An idealized Gaussian model demonstrates that single-event correlations inflate uncertainties in population correlations and that catalog-wide correlated biases can be misread as population correlations.
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Intrinsic handedness in O1-O4a black-hole mergers: probing orbital precession, remnant retention in dense environments and cosmological mirror asymmetry
92% of 91 LIGO black hole mergers favor non-zero V_GW, constraining bound remnants to at most 8% and finding no cosmological handedness preference with average near zero.
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Line-of-sight acceleration in compact binaries with higher harmonics and eccentricity
Implements consistent line-of-sight acceleration corrections in quasi-circular and eccentric GW waveform models, applies them to GWTC-3 events, and reports no substantial evidence for acceleration while warning of bias from inconsistent harmonic treatment.
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Constraining Gravitational Wave Memory with Hierarchical Inference
Hierarchical Bayesian inference on GWTC-5.0 constrains the memory enhancement factor to 0.26 with large uncertainties consistent with the GR value of 1 and forecasts that 2000 detections are needed for a 1σ constraint away from zero.
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Probing (sub-)solar-mass black holes and superspinars with current and next-generation gravitational-wave observatories
Using TaylorF2 post-Newtonian waveforms truncated at ISCO, the study finds that Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer can reach SNR of 100-350 and measure primary spin to 10^{-4}-10^{-3} precision for 0.1-2 solar mass exotic compact objects.
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The Impact of Spin Priors on Parameterized Tests of General Relativity
Spin prior choices propagate into tests of GR via the 1.5PN deviation parameter δφ̂3 in a non-trivial, event-dependent way, with stronger effects for short-inspiral events and partial degeneracy with χ_eff when the deviation is included.
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Ringdown Analysis of GW250114 with Orthonormal Modes
Orthonormal QNM analysis of GW250114 raises the significance of the first overtone of the ℓ=m=2 mode from 82.5% to 99.9% and detects no significant deviation from Kerr predictions.
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Hawking area law in quantum gravity
If Hawking's area law is taken as exact, nonlocal and Stelle quantum-gravity theories are forced to drop R^2 and (Riemann)^2 terms (or use singular Ricci-flat black holes), and the standard entropy-area law follows as a consequence.
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Prompt Response from Plunging Sources in Schwarzschild Spacetime
The prompt response is ~1.2 times stronger than quasinormal mode excitation during inspiral and enables 99% accurate reconstruction of the full inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform when combined with other components.
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Environmental effects vs. modified gravity in the LISA massive black hole binary population
Population-level hierarchical analysis shows environmental effects from circumbinary disks are unlikely to bias LISA tests of general relativity for massive black hole binaries in realistic scenarios.
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Gravitational Wave Propagation in K-essence Cosmology: Theory and Observational Constraints
K-essence cosmology induces a redshift-dependent effective mass on gravitational waves, causing phase shifts that link scalar field dynamics to GW observables without changing wave speed or luminosity distance.
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Mitigating Systematic Errors in Parameter Estimation of Binary Black Hole Mergers in O1-O3 LIGO-Virgo Data
Reanalysis of flagged LVK events with waveform uncertainty models produces consistent spin and precession inferences across raw/deglitched data and multiple waveform approximants.
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Improved Constraints on Non-Kerr Deviations from Binary Black Hole Inspirals Using GWTC-4 Data
GWTC-4 inspirals yield tighter constraints on Johannsen parameters α13 and ε3, both consistent with zero and thus with the Kerr geometry.