Two populations of LIGO-Virgo black holes

We analyse the LIGO-Virgo data, including the recently released GWTC-2 dataset, to test a hypothesis that the data contains more than one population of black holes. We perform a maximum likelihood analysis including a population of astrophysical black holes with a truncated power-law mass function whose merger rate follows from star formation rate, and a population of primordial black holes for which we consider log-normal and critical collapse mass functions. We find that primordial black holes alone are strongly disfavoured by the data, while the best fit is obtained for the template combining astrophysical and primordial merger rates. Alternatively, the data may hint towards two different astrophysical black hole populations. We also update the constraints on primordial black hole abundance from LIGO-Virgo observations finding that in the 2-400(circle dot) fi mass range they must comprise less than 0.2% of dark matter.

Automated summary

The study suggests that a population consisting solely of primordial black holes is unlikely, with the best fit being a combination of astrophysical and primordial merger rates. The data also indicates the possibility of two distinct astrophysical black hole populations.