Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Gw170104: Observation Of A 50-Solar-Mass Binary Black Hole Coalescence At Redshift 0.2, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We describe the observation of GW170104, a gravitational-wave signal produced by the coalescence of a pair of stellar-mass black holes. The signal was measured on January 4, 2017 at 10 11:58.6 UTC by the twin advanced detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory during their second observing run, with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 13 and a false alarm rate less than 1 in 70 000 years. The inferred component black hole masses are 31.2_-6.0^+8.4M⊙ and 19.4_-5.9^+5.3M⊙ (at the 90% credible level). The black hole spins are best constrained through measurement of the effective …

Directional Limits On Persistent Gravitational Waves From Advanced Ligos First Observing Run, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We employ gravitational-wave radiometry to map the stochastic gravitational wave background expected from a variety of contributing mechanisms and test the assumption of isotropy using data from the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory's (aLIGO) first observing run. We also search for persistent gravitational waves from point sources with only minimal assumptions over the 20-1726 Hz frequency band. Finding no evidence of gravitational waves from either point sources or a stochastic background, we set limits at 90% confidence. For broadband point sources, we report upper limits on the gravitational wave energy flux per unit frequency in the range F_{αΘ …}

Upper Limits On The Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background From Advanced Ligo's First Observing Run, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

A wide variety of astrophysical and cosmological sources are expected to contribute to a stochastic gravitational-wave background. Following the observations of GW150914 and GW151226, the rate and mass of coalescing binary black holes appear to be greater than many previous expectations. As a result, the stochastic background from unresolved compact binary coalescences is expected to be particularly loud. We perform a search for the isotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background using data from Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory's (aLIGO) first observing run. The data display no evidence of a stochastic gravitational-wave signal. We constrain the dimensionless energy density of gravitational waves …

Improved Analysis Of Gw150914 Using A Fully Spin-Precessing Waveform Model, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents updated estimates of source parameters for GW150914, a binary black-hole coalescence event detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) in 2015 [Abbott et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 061102 (2016).]. Abbott et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 241102 (2016).] presented parameter estimation of the source using a 13-dimensional, phenomenological precessing-spin model (precessing IMRPhenom) and an 11-dimensional nonprecessing effective-one body (EOB) model calibrated to numerical-relativity simulations, which forces spin alignment (nonprecessing EOBNR). Here, we present new results that include a 15-dimensional precessing-spin waveform model (precessing EOBNR) developed within the EOB formalism. We find good agreement …

Gw151226: Observation Of Gravitational Waves From A 22-Solar-Mass Binary Black Hole Coalescence, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

We report the observation of a gravitational-wave signal produced by the coalescence of two stellar-mass black holes. The signal, GW151226, was observed by the twin detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) on December 26, 2015 at 03:38:53 UTC. The signal was initially identified within 70 s by an online matched-filter search targeting binary coalescences. Subsequent off-line analyses recovered GW151226 with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 13 and a significance greater than 5σ. The signal persisted in the LIGO frequency band for approximately 1 s, increasing in frequency and amplitude over about 55 cycles from 35 to 450 Hz, …

Properties Of The Binary Black Hole Merger Gw150914, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

On September 14, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected a gravitational-wave transient (GW150914); we characterize the properties of the source and its parameters. The data around the time of the event were analyzed coherently across the LIGO network using a suite of accurate waveform models that describe gravitational waves from a compact binary system in general relativity. GW150914 was produced by a nearly equal mass binary black hole of masses 36_-4⁺⁵ M_⊙ and 29_-4⁺⁴M_⊙; for each parameter we report the median value and the range of the 90% credible interval. …

Gw150914: The Advanced Ligo Detectors In The Era Of First Discoveries, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

Following a major upgrade, the two advanced detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) held their first observation run between September 2015 and January 2016. With a strain sensitivity of 10^-23√/Hz at 100 Hz, the product of observable volume and measurement time exceeded that of all previous runs within the first 16 days of coincident observation. On September 14, 2015, the Advanced LIGO detectors observed a transient gravitational-wave signal determined to be the coalescence of two black holes [B. P. Abbott et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 061102 (2016)], launching the era of gravitational-wave astronomy. The …

Observation Of Gravitational Waves From A Binary Black Hole Merger, Benjamin P. Abbott, Marco Cavaglia, For Full List Of Authors, See Publisher's Website.

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

On September 14, 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational-wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational-wave strain of 1.0x10^-21. It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown of the resulting single black hole. The signal was observed with a matched-filter signal-to-noise ratio of 24 and a false alarm rate estimated to be less than 1 event per 203 000 years, equivalent to a …

Advanced Ligo, J. Aasi, B. P. Abbott, R. Abbott, T. Abbott, M. R. Abernathy, K. Ackley, C. Adams, T. Adams, Marc Favata, Rodica Martin

Department of Physics and Astronomy Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

The Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors are second-generation instruments designed and built for the two LIGO observatories in Hanford, WA and Livingston, LA, USA. The two instruments are identical in design, and are specialized versions of a Michelson interferometer with 4 km long arms. As in Initial LIGO, Fabry-Perot cavities are used in the arms to increase the interaction time with a gravitational wave, and power recycling is used to increase the effective laser power. Signal recycling has been added in Advanced LIGO to improve the frequency response. In the most sensitive frequency region around 100 Hz, the design strain …

Quantitative Data Extraction Using Spatial Fourier Transform In Inversion Shear Interferometer, Yanzeng Li

Graduate Theses - Physics and Optical Engineering

Currently there are many interferometers used for testing wavefront, measuring the quality of optical elements, and detecting refractive index changes in a certain medium. Each interferometer has been constructed for a specific objective. Inversion shear interferometer is one of them. Compared to other interferometers, it has its own advantages, such as only being sensitive to coma aberration, but it has some limitations as well. It does not allow use of phase shifting technique. A novel inversion shear interferometer was invented using holographic lenses. By using the spatial carrier method, phase information of the wavefront was extracted. The breakthrough of the …

Systematic Effects In Interferometric Observations Of The Cosmic Microwave Background Polarization, Ata Karakci, Le Zhang, P. M. Sutter, Emory F. Bunn, Andrei Korotkov, Peter Timbie, Gregory S. Tucker, Benjamin D. Wandelt

Physics Faculty Publications

The detection of the primordial B-mode spectrum of the polarized cosmic microwave background (CMB) signal may provide a probe of inflation. However, observation of such a faint signal requires excellent control of systematic errors. Interferometry proves to be a promising approach for overcoming such a challenge. In this paper we present a complete simulation pipeline of interferometric observations of CMB polarization, including systematic errors. We employ two different methods for obtaining the power spectra from mock data produced by simulated observations: the maximum likelihood method and the method of Gibbs sampling. We show that the results from both methods …

Maximum Likelihood Analysis Of Systematic Errors In Interferometric Observations Of The Cosmic Microwave Background, Le Zhang, Ata Karakci, Paul M. Sutter, Emory F. Bunn, Andrei Korotkov, Peter Timbie, Gregory S. Tucker, Benjamin D. Wandelt

Physics Faculty Publications

We investigate the impact of instrumental systematic errors in interferometric measurements of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization power spectra. We simulate interferometric CMB observations to generate mock visibilities and estimate power spectra using the statistically optimal maximum likelihood technique. We define a quadratic error measure to determine allowable levels of systematic error that does not induce power spectrum errors beyond a given tolerance. As an example, in this study we focus on differential pointing errors. The effects of other systematics can be simulated by this pipeline in a straightforward manner. We find that, in order to accurately …

Characterizing Sky Variability For Multi-Messenger Astronomy, Rachel K. Nydegger, Shane L. Larson Ph.D.

Rachel Nydegger Rozum

Multi-messenger astronomy employs both electromagnetic and gravitational -wave detectors to paint a richer picture of celestial objects, providing more depth and information. The interferometers utilized for gravitational-wave observations receive input from very broad fields of view on the sky, typically a few square degrees. To have simultaneous electromagnetic observations (typically less than one square degree) requires innovative techniques for the telescopes to find the origin of radiation. One idea is to “tile” the view of the interferometer, using multiple telescopes to simultaneously point at different areas of the field to observe the source. One di"culty of this observing paradigm is …

Characterizing Sky Variability For Multi-Messenger Astronomy, Rachel Nydegger

UCUR

Multi-messenger astronomy employs both electromagnetic and gravitational -wave detectors to paint a richer picture of celestial objects, providing more depth and information. The interferometers utilized for gravitational-wave observations receive input from very broad fields of view on the sky, typically a few square degrees. To have simultaneous electromagnetic observations (typically less than one square degree) requires innovative techniques for the telescopes to find the origin of radiation. One idea is to “tile” the view of the interferometer, using multiple telescopes to simultaneously point at different areas of the field to observe the source. One di"culty of this observing paradigm is …

A Data-Fitting Approach For Displacements And Vibration Measurement Using Self-Mixing Interferometers, Yi Zhang, Jiangtao Xi, Joe Chicharo, Yanguang Yu

Dr Yanguang Yu

This paper presents a signal processing approach for vibration measurement using self-mixing interferometer (SMI). Compared to existing approaches, the proposed approach is able to achieve an accuracy of λ/40 which significantly exceeds the accuracy limit associated with conventional simple SMI systems λ/4.

A Data-Fitting Approach For Displacements And Vibration Measurement Using Self-Mixing Interferometers, Yi Zhang, Jiangtao Xi, Joe F. Chicharo, Yanguang Yu

Professor Joe F. Chicharo

This paper presents a signal processing approach for vibration measurement using self-mixing interferometer (SMI). Compared to existing approaches, the proposed approach is able to achieve an accuracy of λ/40 which significantly exceeds the accuracy limit associated with conventional simple SMI systems λ/4.

Astronomy's New Messengers: A Traveling Exhibit To Reach Out To A Young Adult Audience, Marco Cavaglia, Martin Hendry, Szabolocs Marka, David H. Reitze, Keith Riles

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory exhibit Astronomy's New Messengers: Listening to the Universe with Gravitational Waves is traveling to colleges, universities, museums and other public institutions throughout the United States. In 2010, an extended version of this exhibit will appear in a New York City venue that is accessible to a large and diverse cross section of the general public. Astronomy's New Messengers primarily communicates with an adolescent and young adult audience, potentially inspiring them into the field of science. Acknowledging that this audience is traditionally a difficult one to attract, the exhibit publicly announces itself in a charismatic fashion …

Bandwidth In Bolometric Interferometry, R. Charlassier, Emory F. Bunn, J.-Ch. Hamilton, J. Kaplan, S. Malu

Physics Faculty Publications

Context. Bolometric interferometry is a promising new technology with potential applications to the detection of B-mode polarization fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). A bolometric interferometer will have to take advantage of the wide spectral detection band of its bolometers to be competitive with imaging experiments. A crucial concern is that interferometers are assumed to be significantly affected by a spoiling effect known as bandwidth smearing.

Aims. We investigate how the bandwidth modifies the work principle of a bolometric interferometer and affects its sensitivity to the CMB angular power spectra.

Methods. We obtain analytical expressions for …

Astronomy's New Messengers: A Traveling Exhibit On Gravitational-Wave Physics, Marco Cavaglia, Martin Hendry, Szabolcs Marka, David H. Reitze, Keith Riles

Physics Faculty Research & Creative Works

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory exhibit Astronomy's New Messengers: Listening to the Universe with Gravitational Waves is traveling to colleges, universities, museums and other public institutions throughout the United States. Astronomy's New Messengers primarily communicates with an adolescent and young adult audience, potentially inspiring them into the field of science. Acknowledging that this audience is traditionally a difficult one to attract, the exhibit publicly announces itself in a charismatic fashion to reach its principal goals of broadening the community of people interested in science and encouraging interest in science among young people.

Gravitational Wave Burst Source Direction Estimation Using Time And Amplitude Information, J. Markowitz, M. Zanolin, L. Cadonati, E. Katsavounidis

Publications

In this article we study two problems that arise when using timing and amplitude estimates from a network of interferometers (IFOs) to evaluate the direction of an incident gravitational wave burst (GWB). First, we discuss an angular bias in the least squares timing-based approach that becomes increasingly relevant for moderate to low signal-to-noise ratios. We show how estimates of the arrival time uncertainties in each detector can be used to correct this bias. We also introduce a stand alone parameter estimation algorithm that can improve the arrival time estimation and provide root-sum-squared strain amplitude (h(rss)) values for each site. In …

Gravitational Wave Burst Source Direction Estimation Using Time And Amplitude Information, J. Markowitz, M. Zanolin, L. Cadonati, E. Katsavounidis

Michele Zanolin

Electron Density And Temperature Measurement Of An Atmospheric Pressure Plasma By Millimeter Wave Interferometer, Xinpei Lu, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

In this paper, a 105 GHz millimeter wave interferometer system is used to measure the electron density and temperature of an atmospheric pressure helium plasma driven by submicrosecond pulses. The peak electron density and electron-neutral collision frequency reach 8 X 10¹² cm^-3 and 2.1 X 10¹² s^-1, respectively. According to the electron-helium collision cross section and the measured electron-neutral collision frequency, the electron temperature of the plasma is estimated to reach a peak value of about 8.7 eV.

The First Extrasolar Planet Discovered With A New-Generation High-Throughput Doppler Instrument, Jian Ge, Julian C. Van Eyken, Suvrath Mahadevan, Curtis Dewitt, Stephen R. Kane, Roger Cohen, Andrew Vanden Heuvel, Scott W. Fleming, Pengcheng Guo, Gregory W. Henry, Donald P. Schneider, Lawrence W. Ramsey, Robert A. Wittenmyer, Michael Endl, William D. Cochran, Eric B. Ford, Eduardo L. Martín, Garik Israelian, Jeff A. Valenti, David Montes

Information Systems and Engineering Management Research Publications

We report the detection of the first extrasolar planet, ET-1 (HD 102195b), using the Exoplanet Tracker (ET), a new-generation Doppler instrument. The planet orbits HD 102195, a young star with solar metallicity that may be part of the local association. The planet imparts radial velocity variability to the star with a semiamplitude of 63.4 ± 2.0 m s-1 and a period of 4.11 days. The planetary minimum mass (m sin i) is 0.488MJ ± 0.015MJ. The planet was initially detected in the spring of 2005 with the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) 0.9 m coudé feed telescope. The detection was …

A Data-Fitting Approach For Displacements And Vibration Measurement Using Self-Mixing Interferometers, Yi Zhang, Jiangtao Xi, Joe F. Chicharo, Yanguang Yu

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

This paper presents a signal processing approach for vibration measurement using self-mixing interferometer (SMI). Compared to existing approaches, the proposed approach is able to achieve an accuracy of λ/40 which significantly exceeds the accuracy limit associated with conventional simple SMI systems λ/4.

Limits To Performance Improvement Provided By Balanced Interferometers And Balanced Detection In Oct/Ocm Instruments, David Liao, Adam E. Pivonka, Brendan R. Haberle, Daniel C. Petersen, Barbara M. Hoeling, Richard C. Haskell

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

We compare the dynamic range of OCT/OCM instruments configured with unbalanced interferometers, e.g., Michelson interferometers, with that of instruments utilizing balanced interferometers and balanced photodetection. We define the dynamic range (DR) as the ratio of the maximum fringe amplitude achieved with a highly reflecting surface to the root-mean-square (rms) noise. Balanced systems achieve a dynamic range 2.5 times higher than that of a Michelson interferometer, enabling an image acquisition speed roughly 6 times faster. This maximum improvement occurs at light source powers of a few milliwatts. At light source powers higher than 30 mW, the advantage in acquisition speed of …

An Observational Test Of The Spherical Model Atmospheres For The M Class Giants: The Case Of Δ2 Lyrae, Jeffrey J. Sudol, J. A. Benson, H. M. Dyck, M. Scholz

Physics & Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Unequal Arm Space-Borne Gravitational Wave Detectors, Shane L. Larson, Ronald W. Hellings, William A. Hiscock

All Physics Faculty Publications

Unlike ground-based interferometric gravitational wave detectors, large space-based systems will not be rigid structures. When the end stations of the laser interferometer are freely flying spacecraft, the armlengths will change due to variations in the spacecraft positions along their orbital trajectories, so the precise equality of the arms that is required in a laboratory interferometer to cancel laser phase noise is not possible. However, using a method discovered by Tinto and Armstrong, a signal can be constructed in which laser phase noise exactly cancels out, even in an unequal arm interferometer. We examine the case where the ratio of the …

Phase Modulation At 125 Khz In A Michelson Interferometer Using An Inexpensive Piezoelectric Stack Driven At Resonance, Barbara M. Hoeling, Andrew D. Fernandez, Richard C. Haskell, Daniel C. Petersen

All HMC Faculty Publications and Research

Fast phase modulation has been achieved in a Michelson interferometer by attaching a lightweight reference mirror to a piezoelectric stack and driving the stack at a resonance frequency of about 125 kHz. The electrical behavior of the piezo stack and the mechanical properties of the piezo-mirror arrangement are described. A displacement amplitude at resonance of about 350 nm was achieved using a standard function generator. Phase drift in the interferometer and piezo wobble were readily circumvented. This approach to phase modulation is less expensive by a factor of roughly 50 than one based on an electro-optic effect.

Sensitivity Curves For Spaceborne Gravitational Wave Interferometers, Shane L. Larson, William A. Hiscock, Ronald W. Hellings

All Physics Faculty Publications

To determine whether particular sources of gravitational radiation will be detectable by a specific gravitational wave detector, it is necessary to know the sensitivity limits of the instrument. These instrumental sensitivities are often depicted (after averaging over source position and polarization) by graphing the minimal values of the gravitational wave amplitude detectable by the instrument versus the frequency of the gravitational wave. This paper describes in detail how to compute such a sensitivity curve given a set of specifications for a spaceborne laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory. Minor errors in the prior literature are corrected, and the first (mostly) analytic …

Performance Comparison Of Shearing Interferometer And Hartmann Wave Front Sensors, Timothy L. Pennington

Theses and Dissertations

The resolution of optical imaging systems is severely degraded from the diffraction limit by the random effects of the atmosphere. Techniques exist to compensate for the atmospheric turbulence, one of which is adaptive optics. A critical component in the adaptive optics system is the wavefront sensor. Presently, two types of sensors are being used-the Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Sensor and the Shearing Interferometer. Previous studies have compared these two sensors and found them to perform identically for a point source. However, to date, no comparison has been performed for an extended source and subaperture spacing larger than the correlation length of the …