Search for hyperbolic encounters of compact objects in the third LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA observing run

Understand

Gravitational-wave (GW) observations provide unique information about compact objects.

• As detectors sensitivity increases, new astrophysical sources of GW could emerge.
• Close hyperbolic encounters are one such source class: scattering of stellar mass compact objects is expected to manifest as GW burst signals in the frequency band of current detectors.
• We present the search for GW from hyperbolic encounters in the second half of the third Advanced LIGO-Virgo observing run (O3b).