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Abstract
We present an up-to-date, comprehensive summary of the rates for all types of compact
binary coalescence sources detectable by the Initial and Advanced versions of the
ground-based gravitational-wave detectors LIGO and Virgo. Astrophysical estimates
for compact-binary coalescence rates depend on a number of assumptions and unknown
model parameters, and are still uncertain. The most confident among these estimates
are the rate predictions for coalescing binary neutron stars which are based on extrapolations
from observed binary pulsars in our Galaxy. These yield a likely coalescence rate
of 100 per Myr per Milky Way Equivalent Galaxy (MWEG), although the rate could plausibly
range from 1 per Myr per MWEG to 1000 per Myr per MWEG. We convert coalescence rates
into detection rates based on data from the LIGO S5 and Virgo VSR2 science runs and
projected sensitivities for our Advanced detectors. Using the detector sensitivities
derived from these data, we find a likely detection rate of 0.02 per year for Initial
LIGO-Virgo interferometers, with a plausible range between 0.0002 and 0.2 per year.
The likely binary neutron-star detection rate for the Advanced LIGO-Virgo network
increases to 40 events per year, with a range between 0.4 and 400 per year.