The distribution of mass ratios in compact object binaries

Abstract

Using the StarTrack population synthesis code we compute the distribution of masses of merging compact object (black hole or neutron star) binaries. The shape of the mass distribution is sensitive to some of the parameters governing the stellar binary evolution. We discuss the possibility of constraining stellar evolution models using mass measurements obtained from the detection of compact object inspiral with the upcoming gravitational-wave observatories.Comment: 10 pages, uses spie.cls, Proc of the SPIE Conference "Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation