287 research outputs found
Stabilization of a Fabry-Perot interferometer using a suspension-point interferometer
A suspension-point interferometer (SPI) is an auxiliary interferometer for
active vibration isolation, implemented at the suspension points of the mirrors
of an interferometric gravitational wave detector. We constructed a prototype
Fabry-Perot interferometer equipped with an SPI and observed vibration
isolation in both the spectrum and transfer function. The noise spectrum of the
main interferometer was reduced by 40 dB below 1 Hz. Transfer function
measurements showed that the SPI also produced good vibration suppression above
1 Hz. These results indicate that SPI can improve both the sensitivity and the
stability of the interferometer.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures; added discussion; to be published in Physics
Letters
Second Order Quasi-Normal Mode of the Schwarzschild Black Hole
We formulate and calculate the second order quasi-normal modes (QNMs) of a
Schwarzschild black hole (BH). Gravitational wave (GW) from a distorted BH, so
called ringdown, is well understood as QNMs in general relativity. Since QNMs
from binary BH mergers will be detected with high signal-to-noise ratio by GW
detectors, it is also possible to detect the second perturbative order of QNMs,
generated by nonlinear gravitational interaction near the BH. In the BH
perturbation approach, we derive the master Zerilli equation for the metric
perturbation to second order and explicitly regularize it at the horizon and
spatial infinity. We numerically solve the second order Zerilli equation by
implementing the modified Leaver's continued fraction method. The second order
QNM frequencies are found to be twice the first order ones, and the GW
amplitude is up to that of the first order for the binary BH
mergers. Since the second order QNMs always exist, we can use their detections
(i) to test the nonlinearity of general relativity, in particular the no-hair
theorem, (ii) to remove fake events in the data analysis of QNM GWs and (iii)
to measure the distance to the BH.Comment: 23 pages, no figur
A systematical veto by all monitor signals in a gravitational-wave detector
We present the current state of veto studies in TAMA300 by monitor signals of the interferometer and its environment. In GW data analysis, fake GW events may bury real GW events or worse upper limits on the event rate. Thus, fake-event rejection is an important issue. In general, we can reject these fake events by the monitor signals, since these fake events are induced due to detector instabilities. However, using all monitor signals for the fake-event rejection would increase the accidental rejection probability and dead time without improving veto efficiency, since all monitor signals do not have correlations to the detector instabilities. Here, we analyze coincidences between the main and selected monitor signals with the optimal parameters for the fake-event rejection. Then, coincident events are rejected as the fake events. For the signal selection and parameter optimization, we systematically investigate the correlations with the detector instabilities. As a result, we achieved 30–99% veto efficiency using ten selected monitor signals with the 3.2% accidental rejection probability and 0.2% dead time
Operational status of TAMA300 with the seismic attenuation system (SAS)
TAMA300 has been upgraded to improve the sensitivity at low frequencies after the last observation run in 2004. To avoid the noise caused by seismic activities, we installed a new seismic isolation system —- the TAMA seismic attenuation system (SAS). Four SAS towers for the test-mass mirrors were sequentially installed from 2005 to 2006. The recycled Fabry–Perot Michelson interferometer was successfully locked with the SAS. We confirmed the reduction of both length and angular fluctuations at frequencies higher than 1 Hz owing to the SAS
Accuracy and effectualness of closed-form, frequency-domain waveforms for non-spinning black hole binaries
The coalescences of binary black hole (BBH) systems, here taken to be
non-spinning, are among the most promising sources for gravitational wave (GW)
ground-based detectors, such as LIGO and Virgo. To detect the GW signals
emitted by BBHs, and measure the parameters of the source, one needs to have in
hand a bank of GW templates that are both effectual (for detection), and
accurate (for measurement). We study the effectualness and the accuracy of the
two types of parametrized banks of templates that are directly defined in the
frequency-domain by means of closed-form expressions, namely 'post-Newtonian'
(PN) and 'phenomenological' models. In absence of knowledge of the exact
waveforms, our study assumes as fiducial, target waveforms the ones generated
by the most accurate version of the effective one body (EOB) formalism. We find
that, for initial GW detectors the use, at each point of parameter space, of
the best closed-form template (among PN and phenomenological models) leads to
an effectualness >97% over the entire mass range and >99% in an important
fraction of parameter space; however, when considering advanced detectors, both
of the closed-form frequency-domain models fail to be effectual enough in
significant domains of the two-dimensional [total mass and mass ratio]
parameter space. Moreover, we find that, both for initial and advanced
detectors, the two closed-form frequency-domain models fail to satisfy the
minimal required accuracy standard in a very large domain of the
two-dimensional parameter space. In addition, a side result of our study is the
determination, as a function of the mass ratio, of the maximum frequency at
which a frequency-domain PN waveform can be 'joined' onto a NR-calibrated EOB
waveform without undue loss of accuracy.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Comparison of post-Newtonian templates for compact binary inspiral signals in gravitational-wave detectors
The two-body dynamics in general relativity has been solved perturbatively
using the post-Newtonian (PN) approximation. The evolution of the orbital phase
and the emitted gravitational radiation are now known to a rather high order up
to O(v^8), v being the characteristic velocity of the binary. The orbital
evolution, however, cannot be specified uniquely due to the inherent freedom in
the choice of parameter used in the PN expansion as well as the method pursued
in solving the relevant differential equations. The goal of this paper is to
determine the (dis)agreement between different PN waveform families in the
context of initial and advanced gravitational-wave detectors. The waveforms
employed in our analysis are those that are currently used by Initial
LIGO/Virgo, that is the time-domain PN models TaylorT1, TaylorT2, TaylorT3,
TaylorT4 and TaylorEt, the effective one-body (EOB) model, and the
Fourier-domain representation TaylorF2. We examine the overlaps of these models
with one another and with the prototype effective one-body model (calibrated to
numerical relativity simulations, as currently used by initial LIGO) for a
number of different binaries at 2PN, 3PN and 3.5PN orders to quantify their
differences and to help us decide whether there exist preferred families that
are the most appropriate as search templates. We conclude that as long as the
total mass remains less than a certain upper limit M_crit, all template
families at 3.5PN order (except TaylorT3 and TaylorEt) are equally good for the
purpose of detection. The value of M_crit is found to be ~ 12M_Sun for Initial,
Enhanced and Advanced LIGO. From a purely computational point of view we
recommend that 3.5PN TaylorF2 be used below Mcrit and EOB calibrated to
numerical relativity simulations be used for total binary mass M > Mcrit.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figures, 4 tables, submitted to PR
Data analysis of gravitational-wave signals from spinning neutron stars. II. Accuracy of estimation of parameters
We examine the accuracy of estimation of parameters of the gravitational-wave
signals from spinning neutron stars that can be achieved from observations by
Earth-based laser interferometers. We consider a model of the signal consisting
of two narrowband components and including both phase and amplitude modulation.
We calculate approximate values of the rms errors of the parameter estimators
using the Fisher information matrix. We carry out extensive Monte Carlo
simulations and obtain cumulative distribution functions of rms errors of
astrophysically interesting parameters: amplitude of the signal, wobble angle,
position of the source in the sky, frequency, and spindown coefficients. We
consider both all-sky searches and directed searches. We also examine the
possibility of determination of neutron star proper motion. We perform
simulations for all laser-interferometric detectors that are currently under
construction and for several possible lengths of the observation time and sizes
of the parameter space. We find that observations of continuous
gravitational-wave signals from neutron stars by laser-interferometric
detectors will provide a very accurate information about their astrophysical
properties. We derive several simplified models of the signal that can be used
in the theoretical investigations of the data analysis schemes independently of
the physical mechanisms generating the gravitational-wave signal.Comment: LaTeX, 34 pages, 15 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
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