A Bayesian coincidence test for noise rejection in a gravitational-wave burst search

In searches for gravitational-wave bursts, a standard technique used to reject noise is to discard burst event candidates that are not seen in coincidence in multiple detectors. A coincidence test in which Bayesian inference is used to measure how noise-like a tuple of events appears is presented here. This technique is shown to yield higher detection efficiencies for a given false alarm rate than do techniques based on per-parameter thresholds when applied to a toy model covering a broad class of event candidate populations. Also presented is the real-world example of a use of the technique for noise rejection in a time–frequency burst search conducted on simulated gravitational-wave detector data. Besides achieving a higher detection efficiency, the technique is significantly less challenging to implement well than is a per-parameter threshold method

Improving the Sensitivity of Advanced LIGO Using Noise Subtraction

This paper presents an adaptable, parallelizable method for subtracting linearly coupled noise from Advanced LIGO data. We explain the features developed to ensure that the process is robust enough to handle the variability present in Advanced LIGO data. In this work, we target subtraction of noise due to beam jitter, detector calibration lines, and mains power lines. We demonstrate noise subtraction over the entirety of the second observing run, resulting in increases in sensitivity comparable to those reported in previous targeted efforts. Over the course of the second observing run, we see a 30% increase in Advanced LIGO sensitivity to gravitational waves from a broad range of compact binary systems. We expect the use of this method to result in a higher rate of detected gravitational-wave signals in Advanced LIGO data.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figure

Detecting transient gravitational waves in non-Gaussian noise with partially redundant analysis methods

There is a broad class of astrophysical sources that produce detectable, transient, gravitational waves. Some searches for transient gravitational waves are tailored to known features of these sources. Other searches make few assumptions about the sources. Typically events are observable with multiple search techniques. This work describes how to combine the results of searches that are not independent, treating each search as a classifier for a given event. This will be shown to improve the overall sensitivity to gravitational-wave events while directly addressing the problem of consistent interpretation of multiple trials.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Arcfinder: An algorithm for the automatic detection of gravitational arcs

We present an efficient algorithm designed for and capable of detecting elongated, thin features such as lines and curves in astronomical images, and its application to the automatic detection of gravitational arcs. The algorithm is sufficiently robust to detect such features even if their surface brightness is near the pixel noise in the image, yet the amount of spurious detections is low. The algorithm subdivides the image into a grid of overlapping cells which are iteratively shifted towards a local centre of brightness in their immediate neighbourhood. It then computes the ellipticity for each cell, and combines cells with correlated ellipticities into objects. These are combined to graphs in a next step, which are then further processed to determine properties of the detected objects. We demonstrate the operation and the efficiency of the algorithm applying it to HST images of galaxy clusters known to contain gravitational arcs. The algorithm completes the analysis of an image with 3000x3000 pixels in about 4 seconds on an ordinary desktop PC. We discuss further applications, the method's remaining problems and possible approaches to their solution.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figure

Global Optimization for Future Gravitational Wave Detectors' Sites

We consider the optimal site selection of future generations of gravitational wave detectors. Previously, Raffai et al. optimized a 2-detector network with a combined figure of merit. This optimization was extended to networks with more than two detectors in a limited way by first fixing the parameters of all other component detectors. In this work we now present a more general optimization that allows the locations of all detectors to be simultaneously chosen. We follow the definition of Raffai et al. on the metric that defines the suitability of a certain detector network. Given the locations of the component detectors in the network, we compute a measure of the network's ability to distinguish the polarization, constrain the sky localization and reconstruct the parameters of a gravitational wave source. We further define the `flexibility index' for a possible site location, by counting the number of multi-detector networks with a sufficiently high Figure of Merit that include that site location. We confirm the conclusion of Raffai et al., that in terms of flexibility index as defined in this work, Australia hosts the best candidate site to build a future generation gravitational wave detector. This conclusion is valid for either a 3-detector network or a 5-detector network. For a 3-detector network site locations in Northern Europe display a comparable flexibility index to sites in Australia. However for a 5-detector network, Australia is found to be a clearly better candidate than any other location.Comment: 30 pages, 23 figures, 2 table

A Systematic Review of Strong Gravitational Lens Modeling Software

Despite expanding research activity in gravitational lens modeling, there is no particular software which is considered a standard. Much of the gravitational lens modeling software is written by individual investigators for their own use. Some gravitational lens modeling software is freely available for download but is widely variable with regard to ease of use and quality of documentation. This review of 13 software packages was undertaken to provide a single source of information. Gravitational lens models are classified as parametric models or non-parametric models, and can be further divided into research and educational software. Software used in research includes the GRAVLENS package (with both gravlens and lensmodel), Lenstool, LensPerfect, glafic, PixeLens, SimpLens, Lensview, and GRALE. In this review, GravLensHD, G-Lens, Gravitational Lensing, lens and MOWGLI are categorized as educational programs that are useful for demonstrating various aspects of lensing. Each of the 13 software packages is reviewed with regard to software features (installation, documentation, files provided, etc.) and lensing features (type of model, input data, output data, etc.) as well as a brief review of studies where they have been used. Recent studies have demonstrated the utility of strong gravitational lensing data for mass mapping, and suggest increased use of these techniques in the future. Coupled with the advent of greatly improved imaging, new approaches to modeling of strong gravitational lens systems are needed. This is the first systematic review of strong gravitational lens modeling software, providing investigators with a starting point for future software development to further advance gravitational lens modeling research

An Overview of LISA Data Analysis Algorithms

The development of search algorithms for gravitational wave sources in the LISA data stream is currently a very active area of research. It has become clear that not only does difficulty lie in searching for the individual sources, but in the case of galactic binaries, evaluating the fidelity of resolved sources also turns out to be a major challenge in itself. In this article we review the current status of developed algorithms for galactic binary, non-spinning supermassive black hole binary and extreme mass ratio inspiral sources. While covering the vast majority of algorithms, we will highlight those that represent the state of the art in terms of speed and accuracy.Comment: 21 pages. Invited highlight article appearing in issue 01 of Gravitational Waves Notes, "GW Notes", edited by Pau Amaro-Seoane and Bernard F. Schutz at: http://brownbag.lisascience.org/lisa-gw-notes

Hydra: A Parallel Adaptive Grid Code

We describe the first parallel implementation of an adaptive particle-particle, particle-mesh code with smoothed particle hydrodynamics. Parallelisation of the serial code, ``Hydra'', is achieved by using CRAFT, a Cray proprietary language which allows rapid implementation of a serial code on a parallel machine by allowing global addressing of distributed memory. The collisionless variant of the code has already completed several 16.8 million particle cosmological simulations on a 128 processor Cray T3D whilst the full hydrodynamic code has completed several 4.2 million particle combined gas and dark matter runs. The efficiency of the code now allows parameter-space explorations to be performed routinely using $64^3$ particles of each species. A complete run including gas cooling, from high redshift to the present epoch requires approximately 10 hours on 64 processors. In this paper we present implementation details and results of the performance and scalability of the CRAFT version of Hydra under varying degrees of particle clustering.Comment: 23 pages, LaTex plus encapsulated figure