We present ENIGMA , a time domain , inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform model that describes non-spinning binary black holes systems that evolve on moderately eccentric orbits .
The inspiral evolution is described using a consistent combination of post-Newtonian theory , self-force and black hole perturbation theory .
Assuming eccentric binaries that circularize prior to coalescence , we smoothly match the eccentric inspiral with a stand-alone , quasi-circular merger , which is constructed using machine learning algorithms that are trained with quasi-circular numerical relativity waveforms .
We show that ENIGMA reproduces with excellent accuracy the dynamics of quasi-circular compact binaries .
We validate ENIGMA using a set of Einstein Toolkit eccentric numerical relativity waveforms , which describe eccentric binary black hole mergers with mass-ratios between 1 \leq q \leq 5.5 , and eccentricities e _ { 0 } \mathrel { \hbox { \hbox to 0.0 pt { \hbox { \lower 4.0 pt \hbox { $ \sim$ } } } \hbox { $ < $ } % } } 0.2 ten orbits before merger .
We use this model to explore in detail the physics that can be extracted with moderately eccentric , non-spinning binary black hole mergers .
In particular , we use ENIGMA to show that the gravitational wave transients GW150914 , GW151226 , GW170104 , GW170814 and GW170608 can be effectively recovered with spinning , quasi-circular templates if the eccentricity of these events at a gravitational wave frequency of 10Hz satisfies e _ { 0 } \leq \ { 0.175 , 0.125 , 0.175 , 0.175 , 0.125 \ } , respectively .
We show that if these systems have eccentricities e _ { 0 } ~ { } \sim 0.1 at a gravitational wave frequency of 10Hz , they can be misclassified as quasi-circular binaries due to parameter space degeneracies between eccentricity and spin corrections .
Using our catalog of eccentric numerical relativity simulations , we discuss the importance of including higher-order waveform multipoles in gravitational wave searches of eccentric binary black hole mergers .