Exploring the Role of Binary Mass Ratio (q = 0.1, 1.0) in Shaping Gravitational Wave Amplitude, Frequency Evolution, and Waveform Morphology

Authors

Keywords:

Gravitational waves, Mass Ratio, Waveform Morphology, Compact Binaries

Abstract

Compact binary mass ratio ( lays a critical role in shaping the characteristics of gravitational waves (GWs) emitted during the inspiral, merger, and ringdown phases. This study employs numerical relativity (NR) simulations using the Einstein Toolkit to model binary black hole systems and examine the dependence of waveform amplitude, frequency evolution, and morphology on mass ratio. Equal-mass binaries  produce symmetric, high-amplitude signals with smooth chirp behaviour, whereas increasingly asymmetric systems ( ) exhibit reduced amplitudes, precession-induced modulations, and enhanced excitation of higher-order modes. The results indicate amplitude reductions of up to 40% for  relative to , slower chirp rates, and waveform mismatches exceeding 1% in post-Newtonian models for strongly asymmetric configurations. These findings highlight the importance of accurately accounting for mass-ratio effects in gravitational-wave template banks, with direct implications for improved parameter estimation in LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA observations and future detectors such as LISA.

Dimensions

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Published

2026-06-22

How to Cite

Exploring the Role of Binary Mass Ratio (q = 0.1, 1.0) in Shaping Gravitational Wave Amplitude, Frequency Evolution, and Waveform Morphology. (2026). Nigerian Journal of Theoretical and Environmental Physics, 4(2), 40-45. https://doi.org/10.62292/

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2026): Nigerian Journal of Theoretical and Environmental Physics - Vol. 4 No. 2

Section

Articles
Copyright & Licensing

Copyright (c) 2026 David Girma, Bakwa Dirting, Yerima Jabil, Davou Lawrence, Bukar Bringen

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Exploring the Role of Binary Mass Ratio (q = 0.1, 1.0) in Shaping Gravitational Wave Amplitude, Frequency Evolution, and Waveform Morphology. (2026). Nigerian Journal of Theoretical and Environmental Physics, 4(2), 40-45. https://doi.org/10.62292/