BLACK-HOLES AND GRAVITATIONAL-WAVES - POSSIBILITIES FOR SIMULTANEOUS DETECTION USING FIRST-GENERATION LASER INTERFEROMETERS

An analysis of merging rates far relativistic binary stars (neutron st ar-neutron star; neutron star-black hole; black hole-black hole) shows that over a one-year observation period, first-generation gravitation al-wave laser interferometers with a sensitivity of 10-(21) at a frequ ency of 100 Hz should be able to detect from 10 to 700 merging events in which at least one of the stars is a black hole, and only one in wh ich both components are neutron stars, A wide range of stellar evoluti onary parameters are considered. Modern concepts of stellar evolution imply that the first experimental detection of gravitational waves wil l also represent the discovery of black holes.