Full band all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the O1 LIGO data

We report on a new all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in the frequency band 475-2000 Hz and with a frequency time derivative in the range of [-1.0,+0.1]×10-8 Hz/s. Potential signals could be produced by a nearby spinning and slightly nonaxisymmetric isolated neutron star in our Galaxy. This search uses the data from Advanced LIGO\u27s first observational run O1. No gravitational-wave signals were observed, and upper limits were placed on their strengths. For completeness, results from the separately published low-frequency search 20-475 Hz are included as well. Our lowest upper limit on worst-case (linearly polarized) strain amplitude h0 is ∼4×10-25 near 170 Hz, while at the high end of our frequency range, we achieve a worst-case upper limit of 1.3×10-24. For a circularly polarized source (most favorable orientation), the smallest upper limit obtained is ∼1.5×10-25

First narrow-band search for continuous gravitational waves from known pulsars in advanced detector data

Spinning neutron stars asymmetric with respect to their rotation axis are potential sources of continuous gravitational waves for ground-based interferometric detectors. In the case of known pulsars a fully coherent search, based on matched filtering, which uses the position and rotational parameters obtained from electromagnetic observations, can be carried out. Matched filtering maximizes the signalto- noise (SNR) ratio, but a large sensitivity loss is expected in case of even a very small mismatch between the assumed and the true signal parameters. For this reason, narrow-band analysis methods have been developed, allowing a fully coherent search for gravitational waves from known pulsars over a fraction of a hertz and several spin-down values. In this paper we describe a narrow-band search of 11 pulsars using data from Advanced LIGO’s first observing run. Although we have found several initial outliers, further studies show no significant evidence for the presence of a gravitational wave signal. Finally, we have placed upper limits on the signal strain amplitude lower than the spin-down limit for 5 of the 11 targets over the bands searched; in the case of J1813-1749 the spin-down limit has been beaten for the first time. For an additional 3 targets, the median upper limit across the search bands is below the spin-down limit. This is the most sensitive narrow-band search for continuous gravitational waves carried out so far

A Standard Siren Measurement of the Hubble Constant from GW170817 without the Electromagnetic Counterpart

We perform a statistical standard siren analysis of GW170817. Our analysis does not utilize knowledge of NGC 4993 as the unique host galaxy of the optical counterpart to GW170817. Instead, we consider each galaxy within the GW170817 localization region as a potential host; combining the redshifts from all of the galaxies with the distance estimate from GW170817 provides an estimate of the Hubble constant, H 0. Considering all galaxies brighter than $0.626{L}_{B}^{\star }$ as equally likely to host a binary neutron star merger, we find ${H}_{0}={77}_{-18}^{+37}$ km s−1 Mpc−1 (maximum a posteriori and 68.3% highest density posterior interval; assuming a flat H 0 prior in the range $\left[10,220\right]$ km s−1 Mpc−1). We explore the dependence of our results on the thresholds by which galaxies are included in our sample, and we show that weighting the host galaxies by stellar mass or star formation rate provides entirely consistent results with potentially tighter constraints. By applying the method to simulated gravitational-wave events and a realistic galaxy catalog we show that, because of the small localization volume, this statistical standard siren analysis of GW170817 provides an unusually informative (top 10%) constraint. Under optimistic assumptions for galaxy completeness and redshift uncertainty, we find that dark binary neutron star measurements of H 0 will converge as $40 \% /\sqrt{(N)}$, where N is the number of sources. While these statistical estimates are inferior to the value from the counterpart standard siren measurement utilizing NGC 4993 as the unique host, ${H}_{0}={76}_{-13}^{+19}$ km s−1 Mpc−1 (determined from the same publicly available data), our analysis is a proof-of-principle demonstration of the statistical approach first proposed by Bernard Schutz over 30 yr ago

First measurement of the Hubble Constant from a Dark Standard Siren using the Dark Energy Survey Galaxies and the LIGO/Virgo Binary–Black-hole Merger GW170814

International audienceWe present a multi-messenger measurement of the Hubble constant H 0 using the binary–black-hole merger GW170814 as a standard siren, combined with a photometric redshift catalog from the Dark Energy Survey (DES). The luminosity distance is obtained from the gravitational wave signal detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)/Virgo Collaboration (LVC) on 2017 August 14, and the redshift information is provided by the DES Year 3 data. Black hole mergers such as GW170814 are expected to lack bright electromagnetic emission to uniquely identify their host galaxies and build an object-by-object Hubble diagram. However, they are suitable for a statistical measurement, provided that a galaxy catalog of adequate depth and redshift completion is available. Here we present the first Hubble parameter measurement using a black hole merger. Our analysis results in , which is consistent with both SN Ia and cosmic microwave background measurements of the Hubble constant. The quoted 68% credible region comprises 60% of the uniform prior range [20, 140] km s−1 Mpc−1, and it depends on the assumed prior range. If we take a broader prior of [10, 220] km s−1 Mpc−1, we find (57% of the prior range). Although a weak constraint on the Hubble constant from a single event is expected using the dark siren method, a multifold increase in the LVC event rate is anticipated in the coming years and combinations of many sirens will lead to improved constraints on H 0

GWTC-1: A Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog of Compact Binary Mergers Observed by LIGO and Virgo during the First and Second Observing Runs

We present the results from three gravitational-wave searches for coalescing compact binaries with component masses above 1  M⊙ during the first and second observing runs of the advanced gravitational-wave detector network. During the first observing run (O1), from September 12, 2015 to January 19, 2016, gravitational waves from three binary black hole mergers were detected. The second observing run (O2), which ran from November 30, 2016 to August 25, 2017, saw the first detection of gravitational waves from a binary neutron star inspiral, in addition to the observation of gravitational waves from a total of seven binary black hole mergers, four of which we report here for the first time: GW170729, GW170809, GW170818, and GW170823. For all significant gravitational-wave events, we provide estimates of the source properties. The detected binary black holes have total masses between 18.6−0.7+3.2  M⊙ and 84.4−11.1+15.8  M⊙ and range in distance between 320−110+120 and 2840−1360+1400  Mpc. No neutron star-black hole mergers were detected. In addition to highly significant gravitational-wave events, we also provide a list of marginal event candidates with an estimated false-alarm rate less than 1 per 30 days. From these results over the first two observing runs, which include approximately one gravitational-wave detection per 15 days of data searched, we infer merger rates at the 90% confidence intervals of 110−3840  Gpc−3 y−1 for binary neutron stars and 9.7−101  Gpc−3 y−1 for binary black holes assuming fixed population distributions and determine a neutron star-black hole merger rate 90% upper limit of 610  Gpc−3 y−1

Search of the early O3 LIGO data for continuous gravitational waves from the Cassiopeia A and Vela Jr. supernova remnants

partially_open1412sìWe present directed searches for continuous gravitational waves from the neutron stars in the Cassiopeia A (Cas A) and Vela Jr. supernova remnants. We carry out the searches in the LIGO detector data from the first six months of the third Advanced LIGO and Virgo observing run using the weave semicoherent method, which sums matched-filter detection-statistic values over many time segments spanning the observation period. No gravitational wave signal is detected in the search band of 20–976 Hz for assumed source ages greater than 300 years for Cas A and greater than 700 years for Vela Jr. Estimates from simulated continuous wave signals indicate we achieve the most sensitive results to date across the explored parameter space volume, probing to strain magnitudes as low as ∼6.3×10^−26 for Cas A and ∼5.6×10^−26 for Vela Jr. at frequencies near 166 Hz at 95% efficiency.openAbbott, R.; Abbott, T. D.; Acernese, F.; Ackley, K.; Adams, C.; Adhikari, N.; Adhikari, R. X.; Adya, V. B.; Affeldt, C.; Agarwal, D.; Agathos, M.; Agatsuma, K.; Aggarwal, N.; Aguiar, O. D.; Aiello, L.; Ain, A.; Ajith, P.; Albanesi, S.; Allocca, A.; Altin, P. A.; Amato, A.; Anand, C.; Anand, S.; Ananyeva, A.; Anderson, S. B.; Anderson, W. G.; Andrade, T.; Andres, N.; Andrić, T.; Angelova, S. V.; Ansoldi, S.; Antelis, J. M.; Antier, S.; Appert, S.; Arai, K.; Araya, M. C.; Areeda, J. S.; Arène, M.; Arnaud, N.; Aronson, S. M.; Arun, K. G.; Asali, Y.; Ashton, G.; Assiduo, M.; Aston, S. M.; Astone, P.; Aubin, F.; Austin, C.; Babak, S.; Badaracco, F.; Bader, M. K. M.; Badger, C.; Bae, S.; Baer, A. M.; Bagnasco, S.; Bai, Y.; Baird, J.; Ball, M.; Ballardin, G.; Ballmer, S. W.; Balsamo, A.; Baltus, G.; Banagiri, S.; Bankar, D.; Barayoga, J. C.; Barbieri, C.; Barish, B. C.; Barker, D.; Barneo, P.; Barone, F.; Barr, B.; Barsotti, L.; Barsuglia, M.; Barta, D.; Bartlett, J.; Barton, M. A.; Bartos, I.; Bassiri, R.; Basti, A.; Bawaj, M.; Bayley, J. C.; Baylor, A. C.; Bazzan, M.; Bécsy, B.; Bedakihale, V. M.; Bejger, M.; Belahcene, I.; Benedetto, V.; Beniwal, D.; Bennett, T. F.; Bentley, J. D.; BenYaala, M.; Bergamin, F.; Berger, B. K.; Bernuzzi, S.; Bersanetti, D.; Bertolini, A.; Betzwieser, J.; Beveridge, D.; Bhandare, R.; Bhardwaj, U.; Bhattacharjee, D.; Bhaumik, S.; Bilenko, I. A.; Billingsley, G.; Bini, S.; Birney, R.; Birnholtz, O.; Biscans, S.; Bischi, M.; Biscoveanu, S.; Bisht, A.; Biswas, B.; Bitossi, M.; Bizouard, M.-A.; Blackburn, J. K.; Blair, C. D.; Blair, D. G.; Blair, R. M.; Bobba, F.; Bode, N.; Boer, M.; Bogaert, G.; Boldrini, M.; Bonavena, L. D.; Bondu, F.; Bonilla, E.; Bonnand, R.; Booker, P.; Boom, B. A.; Bork, R.; Boschi, V.; Bose, N.; Bose, S.; Bossilkov, V.; Boudart, V.; Bouffanais, Y.; Bozzi, A.; Bradaschia, C.; Brady, P. R.; Bramley, A.; Branch, A.; Branchesi, M.; Brau, J. E.; Breschi, M.; Briant, T.; Briggs, J. H.; Brillet, A.; Brinkmann, M.; Brockill, P.; Brooks, A. F.; Brooks, J.; Brown, D. D.; Brunett, S.; Bruno, G.; Bruntz, R.; Bryant, J.; Bulik, T.; Bulten, H. J.; Buonanno, A.; Buscicchio, R.; Buskulic, D.; Buy, C.; Byer, R. L.; Cadonati, L.; Cagnoli, G.; Cahillane, C.; Bustillo, J. Calderón; Callaghan, J. D.; Callister, T. A.; Calloni, E.; Cameron, J.; Camp, J. B.; Canepa, M.; Canevarolo, S.; Cannavacciuolo, M.; Cannon, K. C.; Cao, H.; Capote, E.; Carapella, G.; Carbognani, F.; Carlin, J. B.; Carney, M. F.; Carpinelli, M.; Carrillo, G.; Carullo, G.; Carver, T. L.; Diaz, J. Casanueva; Casentini, C.; Castaldi, G.; Caudill, S.; Cavaglià, M.; Cavalier, F.; Cavalieri, R.; Ceasar, M.; Cella, G.; Cerdá-Durán, P.; Cesarini, E.; Chaibi, W.; Chakravarti, K.; Subrahmanya, S. Chalathadka; Champion, E.; Chan, C.-H.; Chan, C.; Chan, C. L.; Chan, K.; Chandra, K.; Chanial, P.; Chao, S.; Charlton, P.; Chase, E. A.; Chassande-Mottin, E.; Chatterjee, C.; Chatterjee, Debarati; Chatterjee, Deep; Chaturvedi, M.; Chaty, S.; Chen, H. Y.; Chen, J.; Chen, X.; Chen, Y.; Chen, Z.; Cheng, H.; Cheong, C. K.; Cheung, H. Y.; Chia, H. Y.; Chiadini, F.; Chiarini, G.; Chierici, R.; Chincarini, A.; Chiofalo, M. L.; Chiummo, A.; Cho, G.; Cho, H. S.; Choudhary, R. K.; Choudhary, S.; Christensen, N.; Chu, Q.; Chua, S.; Chung, K. W.; Ciani, G.; Ciecielag, P.; Cieślar, M.; Cifaldi, M.; Ciobanu, A. A.; Ciolfi, R.; Cipriano, F.; Cirone, A.; Clara, F.; Clark, E. N.; Clark, J. A.; Clarke, L.; Clearwater, P.; Clesse, S.; Cleva, F.; Coccia, E.; Codazzo, E.; Cohadon, P.-F.; Cohen, D. E.; Cohen, L.; Colleoni, M.; Collette, C. G.; Colombo, A.; Colpi, M.; Compton, C. M.; Constancio, M.; Conti, L.; Cooper, S. J.; Corban, P.; Corbitt, T. R.; Cordero-Carrión, I.; Corezzi, S.; Corley, K. R.; Cornish, N.; Corre, D.; Corsi, A.; Cortese, S.; Costa, C. A.; Cotesta, R.; Coughlin, M. W.; Coulon, J.-P.; Countryman, S. T.; Cousins, B.; Couvares, P.; Coward, D. M.; Cowart, M. J.; Coyne, D. C.; Coyne, R.; Creighton, J. D. E.; Creighton, T. D.; Criswell, A. W.; Croquette, M.; Crowder, S. G.; Cudell, J. R.; Cullen, T. J.; Cumming, A.; Cummings, R.; Cunningham, L.; Cuoco, E.; Curyło, M.; Dabadie, P.; Canton, T. Dal; Dall’Osso, S.; Dálya, G.; Dana, A.; DaneshgaranBajastani, L. M.; D’Angelo, B.; Danilishin, S.; D’Antonio, S.; Danzmann, K.; Darsow-Fromm, C.; Dasgupta, A.; Datrier, L. E. H.; Datta, S.; Dattilo, V.; Dave, I.; Davier, M.; Davies, G. S.; Davis, D.; Davis, M. C.; Daw, E. J.; Dean, R.; DeBra, D.; Deenadayalan, M.; Degallaix, J.; De Laurentis, M.; Deléglise, S.; Del Favero, V.; De Lillo, F.; De Lillo, N.; Del Pozzo, W.; DeMarchi, L. M.; De Matteis, F.; D’Emilio, V.; Demos, N.; Dent, T.; Depasse, A.; De Pietri, R.; De Rosa, R.; De Rossi, C.; DeSalvo, R.; De Simone, R.; Dhurandhar, S.; Díaz, M. C.; Diaz-Ortiz, M.; Didio, N. A.; Dietrich, T.; Di Fiore, L.; Di Fronzo, C.; Di Giorgio, C.; Di Giovanni, F.; Di Giovanni, M.; Di Girolamo, T.; Di Lieto, A.; Ding, B.; Di Pace, S.; Di Palma, I.; Di Renzo, F.; Divakarla, A. K.; Dmitriev, A.; Doctor, Z.; D’Onofrio, L.; Donovan, F.; Dooley, K. L.; Doravari, S.; Dorrington, I.; Drago, M.; Driggers, J. C.; Drori, Y.; Ducoin, J.-G.; Dupej, P.; Durante, O.; D’Urso, D.; Duverne, P.-A.; Dwyer, S. E.; Eassa, C.; Easter, P. J.; Ebersold, M.; Eckhardt, T.; Eddolls, G.; Edelman, B.; Edo, T. B.; Edy, O.; Effler, A.; Eichholz, J.; Eikenberry, S. S.; Eisenmann, M.; Eisenstein, R. A.; Ejlli, A.; Engelby, E.; Errico, L.; Essick, R. C.; Estellés, H.; Estevez, D.; Etienne, Z.; Etzel, T.; Evans, M.; Evans, T. M.; Ewing, B. E.; Fafone, V.; Fair, H.; Fairhurst, S.; Farah, A. M.; Farinon, S.; Farr, B.; Farr, W. M.; Farrow, N. W.; Fauchon-Jones, E. J.; Favaro, G.; Favata, M.; Fays, M.; Fazio, M.; Feicht, J.; Fejer, M. M.; Fenyvesi, E.; Ferguson, D. L.; Fernandez-Galiana, A.; Ferrante, I.; Ferreira, T. A.; Fidecaro, F.; Figura, P.; Fiori, I.; Fishbach, M.; Fisher, R. P.; Fittipaldi, R.; Fiumara, V.; Flaminio, R.; Floden, E.; Fong, H.; Font, J. A.; Fornal, B.; Forsyth, P. W. F.; Franke, A.; Frasca, S.; Frasconi, F.; Frederick, C.; Freed, J. P.; Frei, Z.; Freise, A.; Frey, R.; Fritschel, P.; Frolov, V. V.; Fronzé, G. G.; Fulda, P.; Fyffe, M.; Gabbard, H. A.; Gadre, B. U.; Gair, J. R.; Gais, J.; Galaudage, S.; Gamba, R.; Ganapathy, D.; Ganguly, A.; Gaonkar, S. G.; Garaventa, B.; García-Núñez, C.; García-Quirós, C.; Garufi, F.; Gateley, B.; Gaudio, S.; Gayathri, V.; Gemme, G.; Gennai, A.; George, J.; Gerberding, O.; Gergely, L.; Gewecke, P.; Ghonge, S.; Ghosh, Abhirup; Ghosh, Archisman; Ghosh, Shaon; Ghosh, Shrobana; Giacomazzo, B.; Giacoppo, L.; Giaime, J. A.; Giardina, K. D.; Gibson, D. R.; Gier, C.; Giesler, M.; Giri, P.; Gissi, F.; Glanzer, J.; Gleckl, A. E.; Godwin, P.; Goetz, E.; Goetz, R.; Gohlke, N.; Goncharov, B.; González, G.; Gopakumar, A.; Gosselin, M.; Gouaty, R.; Gould, D. W.; Grace, B.; Grado, A.; Granata, M.; Granata, V.; Grant, A.; Gras, S.; Grassia, P.; Gray, C.; Gray, R.; Greco, G.; Green, A. C.; Green, R.; Gretarsson, A. M.; Gretarsson, E. M.; Griffith, D.; Griffiths, W.; Griggs, H. L.; Grignani, G.; Grimaldi, A.; Grimm, S. J.; Grote, H.; Grunewald, S.; Gruning, P.; Guerra, D.; Guidi, Gianluca; Guimaraes, A. R.; Guixé, G.; Gulati, H. K.; Guo, H.-K.; Guo, Y.; Gupta, Anchal; Gupta, Anuradha; Gupta, P.; Gustafson, E. K.; Gustafson, R.; Guzman, F.; Haegel, L.; Halim, O.; Hall, E. D.; Hamilton, E. Z.; Hammond, G.; Haney, M.; Hanks, J.; Hanna, C.; Hannam, M. D.; Hannuksela, O.; Hansen, H.; Hansen, T. J.; Hanson, J.; Harder, T.; Hardwick, T.; Haris, K.; Harms, J.; Harry, G. M.; Harry, I. W.; Hartwig, D.; Haskell, B.; Hasskew, R. K.; Haster, C.-J.; Haughian, K.; Hayes, F. J.; Healy, J.; Heidmann, A.; Heidt, A.; Heintze, M. C.; Heinze, J.; Heinzel, J.; Heitmann, H.; Hellman, F.; Hello, P.; Helmling-Cornell, A. F.; Hemming, G.; Hendry, M.; Heng, I. S.; Hennes, E.; Hennig, J.; Hennig, M. H.; Hernandez, A. G.; Vivanco, F. Hernandez; Heurs, M.; Hild, S.; Hill, P.; Hines, A. S.; Hochheim, S.; Hofman, D.; Hohmann, J. N.; Holcomb, D. G.; Holland, N. A.; Hollows, I. J.; Holmes, Z. J.; Holt, K.; Holz, D. E.; Hopkins, P.; Hough, J.; Hourihane, S.; Howell, E. J.; Hoy, C. G.; Hoyland, D.; Hreibi, A.; Hsu, Y.; Huang, Y.; Hübner, M. T.; Huddart, A. D.; Hughey, B.; Hui, V.; Husa, S.; Huttner, S. H.; Huxford, R.; Huynh-Dinh, T.; Idzkowski, B.; Iess, A.; Ingram, C.; Isi, M.; Isleif, K.; Iyer, B. R.; JaberianHamedan, V.; Jacqmin, T.; Jadhav, S. J.; Jadhav, S. P.; James, A. L.; Jan, A. Z.; Jani, K.; Janquart, J.; Janssens, K.; Janthalur, N. N.; Jaranowski, P.; Jariwala, D.; Jaume, R.; Jenkins, A. C.; Jenner, K.; Jeunon, M.; Jia, W.; Johns, G. R.; Jones, A. W.; Jones, D. I.; Jones, J. D.; Jones, P.; Jones, R.; Jonker, R. J. G.; Ju, L.; Junker, J.; Juste, V.; Kalaghatgi, C. V.; Kalogera, V.; Kamai, B.; Kandhasamy, S.; Kang, G.; Kanner, J. B.; Kao, Y.; Kapadia, S. J.; Kapasi, D. P.; Karat, S.; Karathanasis, C.; Karki, S.; Kashyap, R.; Kasprzack, M.; Kastaun, W.; Katsanevas, S.; Katsavounidis, E.; Katzman, W.; Kaur, T.; Kawabe, K.; Kéfélian, F.; Keitel, D.; Key, J. S.; Khadka, S.; Khalili, F. Y.; Khan, S.; Khazanov, E. A.; Khetan, N.; Khursheed, M.; Kijbunchoo, N.; Kim, C.; Kim, J. C.; Kim, K.; Kim, W. S.; Kim, Y.-M.; Kimball, C.; Kinley-Hanlon, M.; Kirchhoff, R.; Kissel, J. S.; Kleybolte, L.; Klimenko, S.; Knee, A. M.; Knowles, T. D.; Knyazev, E.; Koch, P.; Koekoek, G.; Koley, S.; Kolitsidou, P.; Kolstein, M.; Komori, K.; Kondrashov, V.; Kontos, A.; Koper, N.; Korobko, M.; Kovalam, M.; Kozak, D. B.; Kringel, V.; Krishnendu, N. V.; Królak, A.; Kuehn, G.; Kuei, F.; Kuijer, P.; Kumar, A.; Kumar, P.; Kumar, Rahul; Kumar, Rakesh; Kuns, K.; Kuwahara, S.; Lagabbe, P.; Laghi, D.; Lalande, E.; Lam, T. L.; Lamberts, A.; Landry, M.; Lane, B. B.; Lang, R. N.; Lange, J.; Lantz, B.; La Rosa, I.; Lartaux-Vollard, A.; Lasky, P. D.; Laxen, M.; Lazzarini, A.; Lazzaro, C.; Leaci, P.; Leavey, S.; Lecoeuche, Y. K.; Lee, H. M.; Lee, H. W.; Lee, J.; Lee, K.; Lehmann, J.; Lemaître, A.; Leroy, N.; Letendre, N.; Levesque, C.; Levin, Y.; Leviton, J. N.; Leyde, K.; Li, A. K. Y.; Li, B.; Li, J.; Li, T. G. F.; Li, X.; Linde, F.; Linker, S. D.; Linley, J. N.; Littenberg, T. B.; Liu, J.; Liu, K.; Liu, X.; Llamas, F.; Llorens-Monteagudo, M.; Lo, R. K. L.; Lockwood, A.; London, L. T.; Longo, A.; Lopez, D.; Portilla, M. Lopez; Lorenzini, M.; Loriette, V.; Lormand, M.; Losurdo, G.; Lott, T. P.; Lough, J. D.; Lousto, C. O.; Lovelace, G.; Lucaccioni, J. F.; Lück, H.; Lumaca, D.; Lundgren, A. P.; Lynam, J. E.; Macas, R.; MacInnis, M.; Macleod, D. M.; MacMillan, I. A. O.; Macquet, A.; Hernandez, I. Magaña; Magazzù, C.; Magee, R. M.; Maggiore, R.; Magnozzi, M.; Mahesh, S.; Majorana, E.; Makarem, C.; Maksimovic, I.; Maliakal, S.; Malik, A.; Man, N.; Mandic, V.; Mangano, V.; Mango, J. L.; Mansell, G. L.; Manske, M.; Mantovani, M.; Mapelli, M.; Marchesoni, F.; Marion, F.; Mark, Z.; Márka, S.; Márka, Z.; Markakis, C.; Markosyan, A. S.; Markowitz, A.; Maros, E.; Marquina, A.; Marsat, S.; Martelli, F.; Martin, I. W.; Martin, R. M.; Martinez, M.; Martinez, V. A.; Martinez, V.; Martinovic, K.; Martynov, D. V.; Marx, E. J.; Masalehdan, H.; Mason, K.; Massera, E.; Masserot, A.; Massinger, T. J.; Masso-Reid, M.; Mastrogiovanni, S.; Matas, A.; Mateu-Lucena, M.; Matichard, F.; Matiushechkina, M.; Mavalvala, N.; McCann, J. J.; McCarthy, R.; McClelland, D. E.; McClincy, P. K.; McCormick, S.; McCuller, L.; McGhee, G. I.; McGuire, S. C.; McIsaac, C.; McIver, J.; McRae, T.; McWilliams, S. T.; Meacher, D.; Mehmet, M.; Mehta, A. K.; Meijer, Q.; Melatos, A.; Melchor, D. A.; Mendell, G.; Menendez-Vazquez, A.; Menoni, C. S.; Mercer, R. A.; Mereni, L.; Merfeld, K.; Merilh, E. L.; Merritt, J. D.; Merzougui, M.; Meshkov, S.; Messenger, C.; Messick, C.; Meyers, P. M.; Meylahn, F.; Mhaske, A.; Miani, A.; Miao, H.; Michaloliakos, I.; Michel, C.; Middleton, H.; Milano, L.; Miller, A.; Miller, A. L.; Miller, B.; Millhouse, M.; Mills, J. C.; Milotti, E.; Minazzoli, O.; Minenkov, Y.; Mir, Ll. M.; Miravet-Tenés, M.; Mishra, C.; Mishra, T.; Mistry, T.; Mitra, S.; Mitrofanov, V. P.; Mitselmakher, G.; Mittleman, R.; Mo, Geoffrey; Moguel, E.; Mogushi, K.; Mohapatra, S. R. P.; Mohite, S. R.; Molina, I.; Molina-Ruiz, M.; Mondin, M.; Montani, M.; Moore, C. J.; Moraru, D.; Morawski, F.; More, A.; Moreno, C.; Moreno, G.; Morisaki, S.; Mours, B.; Mow-Lowry, C. M.; Mozzon, S.; Muciaccia, F.; Mukherjee, Arunava; Mukherjee, D.; Mukherjee, Soma; Mukherjee, Subroto; Mukherjee, Suvodip; Mukund, N.; Mullavey, A.; Munch, J.; Muñiz, E. A.; Murray, P. G.; Musenich, R.; Muusse, S.; Nadji, S. L.; Nagar, A.; Napolano, V.; Nardecchia, I.; 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Population of Merging Compact Binaries Inferred Using Gravitational Waves through GWTC-3

We report on the population properties of compact binary mergers inferred from gravitational-wave observations of these systems during the first three LIGO-Virgo observing runs. The Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalog 3 (GWTC-3) contains signals consistent with three classes of binary mergers: binary black hole, binary neutron star, and neutron star-black hole mergers. We infer the binary neutron star merger rate to be between 10 and 1700 Gpc-3 yr-1 and the neutron star-black hole merger rate to be between 7.8 and 140 Gpc-3 yr-1, assuming a constant rate density in the comoving frame and taking the union of 90% credible intervals for methods used in this work. We infer the binary black hole merger rate, allowing for evolution with redshift, to be between 17.9 and 44 Gpc-3 yr-1 at a fiducial redshift (z=0.2). The rate of binary black hole mergers is observed to increase with redshift at a rate proportional to (1+z)κ with κ=2.9-1.8+1.7 for z≲1. Using both binary neutron star and neutron star-black hole binaries, we obtain a broad, relatively flat neutron star mass distribution extending from 1.2-0.2+0.1 to 2.0-0.3+0.3M⊙. We confidently determine that the merger rate as a function of mass sharply declines after the expected maximum neutron star mass, but cannot yet confirm or rule out the existence of a lower mass gap between neutron stars and black holes. We also find the binary black hole mass distribution has localized over- and underdensities relative to a power-law distribution, with peaks emerging at chirp masses of 8.3-0.5+0.3 and 27.9-1.8+1.9M⊙. While we continue to find that the mass distribution of a binary's more massive component strongly decreases as a function of primary mass, we observe no evidence of a strongly suppressed merger rate above approximately 60M⊙, which would indicate the presence of a upper mass gap. Observed black hole spins are small, with half of spin magnitudes below χi≈0.25. While the majority of spins are preferentially aligned with the orbital angular momentum, we infer evidence of antialigned spins among the binary population. We observe an increase in spin magnitude for systems with more unequal-mass ratio. We also observe evidence of misalignment of spins relative to the orbital angular momentum

Properties of the Binary Neutron Star Merger GW170817

On August 17, 2017, the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo gravitational-wave detectors observed a low-mass compact binary inspiral. The initial sky localization of the source of the gravitational-wave signal, GW170817, allowed electromagnetic observatories to identify NGC 4993 as the host galaxy. In this work, we improve initial estimates of the binary's properties, including component masses, spins, and tidal parameters, using the known source location, improved modeling, and recalibrated Virgo data. We extend the range of gravitational-wave frequencies considered down to 23 Hz, compared to 30 Hz in the initial analysis. We also compare results inferred using several signal models, which are more accurate and incorporate additional physical effects as compared to the initial analysis. We improve the localization of the gravitational-wave source to a 90% credible region of 16  deg2. We find tighter constraints on the masses, spins, and tidal parameters, and continue to find no evidence for nonzero component spins. The component masses are inferred to lie between 1.00 and 1.89  M⊙ when allowing for large component spins, and to lie between 1.16 and 1.60  M⊙ (with a total mass 2.73−0.01+0.04  M⊙) when the spins are restricted to be within the range observed in Galactic binary neutron stars. Using a precessing model and allowing for large component spins, we constrain the dimensionless spins of the components to be less than 0.50 for the primary and 0.61 for the secondary. Under minimal assumptions about the nature of the compact objects, our constraints for the tidal deformability parameter Λ are (0,630) when we allow for large component spins, and 300−230+420 (using a 90% highest posterior density interval) when restricting the magnitude of the component spins, ruling out several equation-of-state models at the 90% credible level. Finally, with LIGO and GEO600 data, we use a Bayesian analysis to place upper limits on the amplitude and spectral energy density of a possible postmerger signal

All-sky search for long-duration gravitational-wave bursts in the third Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo run

After the detection of gravitational waves from compact binary coalescences, the search for transient gravitational-wave signals with less well-defined waveforms for which matched filtering is not well suited is one of the frontiers for gravitational-wave astronomy. Broadly classified into “short” ≲1  s and “long” ≳1  s duration signals, these signals are expected from a variety of astrophysical processes, including non-axisymmetric deformations in magnetars or eccentric binary black hole coalescences. In this work, we present a search for long-duration gravitational-wave transients from Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo’s third observing run from April 2019 to March 2020. For this search, we use minimal assumptions for the sky location, event time, waveform morphology, and duration of the source. The search covers the range of 2–500 s in duration and a frequency band of 24–2048 Hz. We find no significant triggers within this parameter space; we report sensitivity limits on the signal strength of gravitational waves characterized by the root-sum-square amplitude hrss as a function of waveform morphology. These hrss limits improve upon the results from the second observing run by an average factor of 1.8

The population of merging compact binaries inferred using gravitational waves through GWTC-3

We report on the population properties of 76 compact binary mergers detected with gravitational waves below a false alarm rate of 1 per year through GWTC-3. The catalog contains three classes of binary mergers: BBH, BNS, and NSBH mergers. We infer the BNS merger rate to be between 10 $\rm{Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}}$ and 1700 $\rm{Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}}$ and the NSBH merger rate to be between 7.8 $\rm{Gpc^{-3}\, yr^{-1}}$ and 140 $\rm{Gpc^{-3} yr^{-1}}$ , assuming a constant rate density versus comoving volume and taking the union of 90% credible intervals for methods used in this work. Accounting for the BBH merger rate to evolve with redshift, we find the BBH merger rate to be between 17.9 $\rm{Gpc^{-3}\, yr^{-1}}$ and 44 $\rm{Gpc^{-3}\, yr^{-1}}$ at a fiducial redshift (z=0.2). We obtain a broad neutron star mass distribution extending from $1.2^{+0.1}_{-0.2} M_\odot$ to $2.0^{+0.3}_{-0.3} M_\odot$. We can confidently identify a rapid decrease in merger rate versus component mass between neutron star-like masses and black-hole-like masses, but there is no evidence that the merger rate increases again before 10 $M_\odot$. We also find the BBH mass distribution has localized over- and under-densities relative to a power law distribution. While we continue to find the mass distribution of a binary's more massive component strongly decreases as a function of primary mass, we observe no evidence of a strongly suppressed merger rate above $\sim 60 M_\odot$. The rate of BBH mergers is observed to increase with redshift at a rate proportional to $(1+z)^{\kappa}$ with $\kappa = 2.9^{+1.7}_{-1.8}$ for $z\lesssim 1$. Observed black hole spins are small, with half of spin magnitudes below $\chi_i \simeq 0.25$. We observe evidence of negative aligned spins in the population, and an increase in spin magnitude for systems with more unequal mass ratio