Parameter estimation from the core-bounce phase of rotating core collapse supernovae in real interferometer noise

Abstract We develop and characterize a parameter estimation methodology for rotating core collapse supernovae based on the gravitational wave (GW) core bounce phase and real detector noise. Expanding on the evidence from numerical simulations for the deterministic nature of this GW emission and about the dependence on the ratio β between rotational kinetic to potential energy, we propose an analytical model for the core bounce component which depends on β and one phenomenological parameter. We validate the goodness of the model with a pool of representative waveforms. We use the fitting factor adopted in compact coalescing binary searches as a metric to quantify the goodness of the analytical model and the template bank generated by the model presents an average accuracy of 94.4% when compared with the numerical simulations and is used as the basis for the work. The error for a matched filter frequentist parameter estimation of β is evaluated. The results obtained considering real interferometric noise and a waveform at a distance of 10 kpc and optimal orientation, for one standard deviation estimation error of the rotation parameter β lie in the range of 10 −2 –10 −3 as β increases. The results are also compared to the scenario where Gaussian recolored data is employed. The analytical model also allows for the first time, to compute theoretical minima in the error for β for any type of estimator. Our analysis indicates that the presence of rotation would be detectable at 0.5 Mpc for third generation interferometers like CE or ET.