Ponente
Descripción
The nature and formation mechanisms of subsolar-mass (SSM) black hole binaries remain an open question in astrophysics, as such objects fall outside the predictions of standard stellar evolution. The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK) collaboration has conducted searches for compact binary mergers involving at least one subsolar-mass component, using data from recent observing runs. This search targets black holes with at least one component mass below the mass of the sun, probing for potential signatures of primordial black holes or exotic compact objects predicted in alternative gravitational theories. We employ matched-filtering techniques using waveform templates designed for the low-mass regime. For the first time, we also constrain the formation rate of sub-solar mass objects with tidal deformability. The results of our study set upper limits on the merger rate of binaries including a SSM object and improve constraints on their astrophysical and cosmological implications. Our findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to probe the origin of SSM black holes and their potential role in explaining dark matter. This presentation will provide an overview of the search methodology, key results, and their implications in gravitational wave astronomy.
