Search for gravitational waves from Scorpius X-1 in the second Advanced LIGO observing run with an improved hidden Markov model

We present results from a semicoherent search for continuous gravitational waves from the low-mass x-ray binary Scorpius X-1, using a hidden Markov model (HMM) to track spin wandering. This search improves on previous HMM-based searches of LIGO data by using an improved frequency domain matched filter, the J-statistic, and by analyzing data from Advanced LIGO's second observing run. In the frequency range searched, from 60 to 650 Hz, we find no evidence of gravitational radiation. At 194.6 Hz, the most sensitive search frequency, we report an upper limit on gravitational wave strain (at 95% confidence) of h095%=3.47×10-25 when marginalizing over source inclination angle. This is the most sensitive search for Scorpius X-1, to date, that is specifically designed to be robust in the presence of spin wandering. © 2019 American Physical Society

Erratum: "A Gravitational-wave Measurement of the Hubble Constant Following the Second Observing Run of Advanced LIGO and Virgo" (2021, ApJ, 909, 218)

[no abstract available

Search for Tensor, Vector, and Scalar Polarizations in the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background

The detection of gravitational waves with Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo has enabled novel tests of general relativity, including direct study of the polarization of gravitational waves. While general relativity allows for only two tensor gravitational-wave polarizations, general metric theories can additionally predict two vector and two scalar polarizations. The polarization of gravitational waves is encoded in the spectral shape of the stochastic gravitational-wave background, formed by the superposition of cosmological and individually unresolved astrophysical sources. Using data recorded by Advanced LIGO during its first observing run, we search for a stochastic background of generically polarized gravitational waves. We find no evidence for a background of any polarization, and place the first direct bounds on the contributions of vector and scalar polarizations to the stochastic background. Under log-uniform priors for the energy in each polarization, we limit the energy densities of tensor, vector, and scalar modes at 95% credibility to Ω0T<5.58×10-8, Ω0V<6.35×10-8, and Ω0S<1.08×10-7 at a reference frequency f0=25 Hz. © 2018 American Physical Society

On the progenitor of binary neutron star merger GW170817

On 2017 August 17 the merger of two compact objects with masses consistent with two neutron stars was discovered through gravitational-wave (GW170817), gamma-ray (GRB 170817A), and optical (SSS17a/AT 2017gfo) observations. The optical source was associated with the early-type galaxy NGC 4993 at a distance of just ∼40 Mpc, consistent with the gravitational-wave measurement, and the merger was localized to be at a projected distance of ∼2 kpc away from the galaxy's center. We use this minimal set of facts and the mass posteriors of the two neutron stars to derive the first constraints on the progenitor of GW170817 at the time of the second supernova (SN). We generate simulated progenitor populations and follow the three-dimensional kinematic evolution from binary neutron star (BNS) birth to the merger time, accounting for pre-SN galactic motion, for considerably different input distributions of the progenitor mass, pre-SN semimajor axis, and SN-kick velocity. Though not considerably tight, we find these constraints to be comparable to those for Galactic BNS progenitors. The derived constraints are very strongly influenced by the requirement of keeping the binary bound after the second SN and having the merger occur relatively close to the center of the galaxy. These constraints are insensitive to the galaxy's star formation history, provided the stellar populations are older than 1 Gyr

The duration of fetal antenatal steroid exposure determines the durability of preterm ovine lung maturation

Objective Antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) are the standard of care for maturing the fetal lung and improving outcomes for preterm infants. ACS dosing remains un-optimized, and there is little understanding of how different treatment to delivery intervals may affect treatment efficacy. The durability of a lung maturational response is important because the majority of women treated with ACS do not deliver within the widely accepted 1-7 day window of treatment efficacy. We used a sheep model to test duration of fetal exposures for efficacy at delivery intervals from 1 to 10 days. Methods For infusion studies, ewes with single fetuses were randomised to receive an intravenous bolus and maintenance infusion of betamethasone phosphate to target 1-4ng/mL fetal plasma betamethasone for 36 hours, with delivery at either 2, 4 or 7 days-post treatment or sterile saline as control. Animals receiving the clinical treatment were randomised to receive either:i) a single injection of 0.25mg/kg with a 1:1 mixture of betamethasone phosphate + betamethasone acetate with delivery at either 1 or 7 days post treatment; or ii) two treatments of 0.25 mg/kg betamethasone phosphate + betamethasone acetate spaced at 24 hours (giving approximately 48 hours of fetal steroid exposure) with delivery at 2, 5, 7 or 10 days post-treatment. Negative control animals were treated with saline. All lambs were delivered at 121±3 days gestational age and ventilated for 30 minutes to assess lung function. Results Preterm lambs delivered at 1 or 2 days post-ACS treatment had significant improvements in lung maturation for both intravenous and single dose intramuscular treatments. After 2 days the efficacy of 36 hour betamethasone phosphate infusions was lost. The single dose of 1:1 betamethasone phosphate + betamethasone acetate also was ineffective at 7 days. In contrast, animals treated with two doses had significant improvements in lung maturation at 2, 5 and 7 days, with treatment efficacy reduced by 10 days. Conclusion In preterm lambs, the durability of ACS treatment depends on the duration of fetal exposure and is independent of the IV or IM maternal route of administration. For acute 24-48 hour post-treatment deliveries, a 24 hour fetal ACS exposure was sufficient for lung maturation. A fetal exposure duration of at least 48 hours was necessary to maintain long-term treatment durability. A single dose ACS treatment should be sufficient for women delivering within <48 hours of ACS treatment

Megaherbivores may impact expansion of invasive seagrass in the Caribbean

Abstract of the manuscript to which this dataset belongs to: "1. Our knowledge of the functional role of large herbivores is rapidly expanding, and the impact of grazing on species co-existence and non-native species expansion has been studied across ecosystems. However, experimental data on large grazer impacts on plant invasion in aquatic ecosystems are lacking. 2. Since its introduction in 2002, the seagrass species Halophila stipulacea has rapidly expanded across the Eastern Caribbean, forming dense meadows in green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging areas. We investigate the changes in seagrass species co-existence and the impacts of leaf grazing by green turtles on non-native seagrass expansion in Lac Bay (Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands). 3. Green turtle grazing behavior changed after the introduction of non-native seagrass to Lac Bay in 2010. Field observations, together with time-lapse satellite images over the last four decades, showed initiation of new grazing patches (65 ha, an increase of 72%). The sharp border between grazed and ungrazed seagrass patches moved in the direction of shallower areas with native seagrass species that had previously (1970-2010) been ungrazed. Green turtles deployed with Fastloc-GPS transmitters confirmed high site fidelity to these newly cropped patches. In addition, cafeteria experiments indicated selective grazing by green turtles on native species. These native seagrass species had significantly higher nutritional values compared to the non native species. In parallel, exclosure-experiments showed that non-native seagrass expanded more rapidly in grazed canopies compared to ungrazed canopies. Finally, in six years from 2011-2017, H. stipulacea underwent a significant expansion, invading 20 of 49 fixed monitoring locations in Lac Bay, increasing from 6% to 20% in total occurrence. During the same period, native seagrass Thalassia testudinum occurrence decreased by 33%. 4. Synthesis. Our results provide first-time evidence that H. stipulacea can rapidly colonize and replace native seagrasses in the Caribbean and add a mechanistic explanation for this invasiveness. We conclude that green turtle leaf grazing may modify the rate and spatial extent of this invasive species’ expansion, due to grazing preferences, and increased space for settlement. This work shows how large herbivores play an important but unrecognized role in species co-existence and plant invasions of aquatic ecosystems.

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10.1007/BF01189240Queueing Systems151-4261-27