GCN Circular 39184
Subject
LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA S250206dm: Updated Sky localization and EM Bright Classification
Date
2025-02-07T02:51:46Z (4 days ago)
From
Will Farr <will.farr@stonybrook.edu>
Via
Web form
The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the Virgo Collaboration, and the KAGRA Collaboration report:
We have conducted further analysis of the LIGO Hanford Observatory (H1), LIGO Livingston Observatory (L1) and Virgo Observatory (V1) data around the time of the compact binary merger (CBC) candidate S250206dm (GCN Circular 39175). Parameter estimation has been performed using Bilby [1] and a new sky map, Bilby.multiorder.fits,1, distributed via GCN Notice, is available for retrieval from the GraceDB event page:
https://gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/S250206dm
Based on posterior support from parameter estimation [1], under the assumption that the candidate S250206dm is astrophysical in origin, the probability that the lighter compact object is consistent with a neutron star mass (HasNS) is >99%. [2] Using the masses and spins inferred from the signal, the probability of matter outside the final compact object (HasRemnant) is 15%. [2] Both HasNS and HasRemnant consider the support of several neutron star equations of state. The probability that either of the binary components lies between 3 and 5 solar masses (HasMassGap) is 59%.
For the Bilby.multiorder.fits,1 sky map, the 90% credible region is 910 deg2. Marginalized over the whole sky, the a posteriori luminosity distance estimate is 348 +/- 114 Mpc (a posteriori mean +/- standard deviation).
At the time of the candidate, the Virgo detector was being brought online and was not in observing mode. However, it was determined that the Virgo detector was sufficiently sensitive to inform our estimate of the sky localization. Investigations are ongoing to understand how the operational state of Virgo at the time of the event impacts this analysis. The estimated sky localization may change based on these studies, but this skymap represents our best understanding of the event at this time.
For further information about analysis methodology and the contents of this alert, refer to the LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA Public Alerts User Guide https://emfollow.docs.ligo.org/.
[1] Ashton et al. ApJS 241, 27 (2019) doi:10.3847/1538-4365/ab06fc and Morisaki et al. (2023) arXiv:2307.13380
[2] Chatterjee et al. ApJ 896, 54 (2020) doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab8dbe