Incorporating information from source simulations into searches for gravitational-wave bursts

The detection of gravitational waves from astrophysical sources of gravitational waves is a realistic goal for the current generation of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors. Short duration bursts of gravitational waves from core-collapse supernovae or mergers of binary black holes may bring a wealth of astronomical and astrophysical information. The weakness of the waves and the rarity of the events urges the development of optimal methods to detect the waves. The waves from these sources are not generally known well enough to use matched filtering however; this drives the need to develop new ways to exploit source simulation information in both detections and information extraction. We present an algorithmic approach to using catalogs of gravitational-wave signals developed through numerical simulation, or otherwise, to enhance our ability to detect these waves. As more detailed simulations become available, it is straightforward to incorporate the new information into the search method. This approach may also be useful when trying to extract information from a gravitational-wave observation by allowing direct comparison between the observation and simulations.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

Search for gravitational wave bursts by the network of resonant detectors

The groups operating cryogenic bar detectors of gravitational waves are performing a coordinated search for short signals within the International Gravitational Event Collaboration (IGEC). We review the most relevant aspects of the data analysis, based on a time-coincidence search among triggers from different detectors, and the properties of the data exchanged by each detector under a recently-upgraded agreement. The IGEC is currently analysing the observations from 1997 to 2000, when up to four detectors were operating simultaneously. 10% and 50% of this time period were covered by simultaneous observations, respectively, of at least three or at least two detectors. Typical signal search thresholds were in the range 2–6 10−21/Hz. The coincidences found are within the estimated background, hence improved upper limits on incoming GW (gravitational wave) bursts have been set