1,010 research outputs found
The ACIGA Data Analysis programme
The Data Analysis programme of the Australian Consortium for Interferometric
Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA) was set up in 1998 by the first author to
complement the then existing ACIGA programmes working on suspension systems,
lasers and optics, and detector configurations. The ACIGA Data Analysis
programme continues to contribute significantly in the field; we present an
overview of our activities.Comment: 10 pages, 0 figures, accepted, Classical and Quantum Gravity,
(Proceedings of the 5th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves,
Tirrenia, Pisa, Italy, 6-11 July 2003
Network sensitivity to geographical configuration
Gravitational wave astronomy will require the coordinated analysis of data
from the global network of gravitational wave observatories. Questions of how
to optimally configure the global network arise in this context. We have
elsewhere proposed a formalism which is employed here to compare different
configurations of the network, using both the coincident network analysis
method and the coherent network analysis method. We have constructed a network
model to compute a figure-of-merit based on the detection rate for a population
of standard-candle binary inspirals. We find that this measure of network
quality is very sensitive to the geographic location of component detectors
under a coincident network analysis, but comparatively insensitive under a
coherent network analysis.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, accepted for proceedings of the 4th Edoardo
Amaldi conference, incorporated referees' suggestions and corrected diagra
Numerical wave optics and the lensing of gravitational waves by globular clusters
We consider the possible effects of gravitational lensing by globular
clusters on gravitational waves from asymmetric neutron stars in our galaxy. In
the lensing of gravitational waves, the long wavelength, compared with the
usual case of optical lensing, can lead to the geometrical optics approximation
being invalid, in which case a wave optical solution is necessary. In general,
wave optical solutions can only be obtained numerically. We describe a
computational method that is particularly well suited to numerical wave optics.
This method enables us to compare the properties of several lens models for
globular clusters without ever calling upon the geometrical optics
approximation, though that approximation would sometimes have been valid.
Finally, we estimate the probability that lensing by a globular cluster will
significantly affect the detection, by ground-based laser interferometer
detectors such as LIGO, of gravitational waves from an asymmetric neutron star
in our galaxy, finding that the probability is insignificantly small.Comment: To appear in: Proceedings of the Eleventh Marcel Grossmann Meetin
Spectral Line Removal in the LIGO Data Analysis System (LDAS)
High power in narrow frequency bands, spectral lines, are a feature of an
interferometric gravitational wave detector's output. Some lines are coherent
between interferometers, in particular, the 2 km and 4 km LIGO Hanford
instruments. This is of concern to data analysis techniques, such as the
stochastic background search, that use correlations between instruments to
detect gravitational radiation. Several techniques of `line removal' have been
proposed. Where a line is attributable to a measurable environmental
disturbance, a simple linear model may be fitted to predict, and subsequently
subtract away, that line. This technique has been implemented (as the command
oelslr) in the LIGO Data Analysis System (LDAS). We demonstrate its application
to LIGO S1 data.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, to be published in CQG GWDAW02 proceeding
Comparison of Motion Correction Methods Incorporating Motion Modelling for PET/CT Using a Single Breath Hold Attenuation Map
Introducing motion models into respiratory motion correction methods can lead to a reduction in blurring and artefacts. However, the pool of research where motion modelling methods are applied to combined positron emission tomography and computed tomography is relatively shallow. Previous work used non-attenuation corrected time-of-flight data to fit motion models, not only to motion correct the volumes themselves, but also to warp a single attenuation map to the positions of the initial gated data. This work seeks to extend previous work to offer a comparison of respiratory motion correction methods, not only with and without motion models, but also to compare pair-wise and group-wise registration techniques, on simulation data, in a low count scenario, where the attenuation map is from a pseudo-breath hold acquisition. To test the methods, 4-Dimensional Extended Cardiac Torso images are constructed, simulated and reconstructed without attenuation correction, then motion corrected using one of pair-wise, pair-wise with motion model, group-wise and group-wise with motion model registration. Next these motion corrected volumes are registered to the breath hold attenuation map. The positron emission tomography data are then reconstructed using deformed attenuation maps and motion corrected. Evaluation compares the results of these methods against non-motion corrected and motion free examples. Results indicate that the incorporation of motion models and group-wise registration, improves contrast and quantification
Short GRB and binary black hole standard sirens as a probe of dark energy
Observations of the gravitational radiation from well-localized, inspiraling
compact object binaries can measure absolute source distances with high
accuracy. When coupled with an independent determination of redshift through an
electromagnetic counterpart, these standard sirens can provide an excellent
probe of the expansion history of the Universe and the dark energy. Short
gamma-ray bursts, if produced by merging neutron star binaries, would be
standard sirens with known redshifts detectable by ground-based GW networks
such as LIGO-II, Virgo, and AIGO. Depending upon the collimation of these GRBs,
a single year of observation of their gravitational waves can measure the
Hubble constant to about 2%. When combined with measurement of the absolute
distance to the last scattering surface of the cosmic microwave background,
this determines the dark energy equation of state parameter w to 9%. Similarly,
supermassive binary black hole inspirals will be standard sirens detectable by
LISA. Depending upon the precise redshift distribution, 100 sources could
measure w at the 4% level.Comment: 8 pages, submitted to PR
Report on an all-sky LIGO search for periodic gravitational waves in the S4 data
We report on an all-sky search with the LIGO detectors for periodic
gravitational waves in the frequency range 50-1000 Hz and having a negative
frequency time derivative with magnitude between zero and Hz/s. Data
from the fourth LIGO science run have been used in this search. Three different
semi-coherent methods of summing strain power were applied. Observing no
evidence for periodic gravitational radiation, we report upper limits on strain
amplitude and interpret these limits to constrain radiation from rotating
neutron stars.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, presented at Amaldi7, Sydney (July 2007
Searching for stochastic gravitational-wave background with the co-located LIGO interferometers
This paper presents techniques developed by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration
to search for the stochastic gravitational-wave background using the co-located
pair of LIGO interferometers at Hanford, WA. We use correlations between
interferometers and environment monitoring instruments, as well as time-shifts
between two interferometers (described here for the first time) to identify
correlated noise from non-gravitational sources. We veto particularly noisy
frequency bands and assess the level of residual non-gravitational coupling
that exists in the surviving data.Comment: Proceedings paper from the 7th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on
Gravitational Waves, held in Sydney, Australia from 8-14 July 2007. Accepted
to J. Phys.: Conf. Se
Hierarchical Hough all-sky search for periodic gravitational waves in LIGO S5 data
We describe a new pipeline used to analyze the data from the fifth science
run (S5) of the LIGO detectors to search for continuous gravitational waves
from isolated spinning neutron stars. The method employed is based on the Hough
transform, which is a semi-coherent, computationally efficient, and robust
pattern recognition technique. The Hough transform is used to find signals in
the time-frequency plane of the data whose frequency evolution fits the pattern
produced by the Doppler shift imposed on the signal by the Earth's motion and
the pulsar's spin-down during the observation period. The main differences with
respect to previous Hough all-sky searches are described. These differences
include the use of a two-step hierarchical Hough search, analysis of
coincidences among the candidates produced in the first and second year of S5,
and veto strategies based on a test.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Amaldi08 proceedings, submitted to JPC
Administering anticipatory medications in end-of-life care: A qualitative study of nursing practice in the community and in nursing homes
Background: In the United Kingdom, an approach to improving end-of-life care has been the introduction of ‘just in case’ or ‘anticipatory’ medications. Nurses are often responsible for deciding when to use anticipatory medications, but little is known about their experiences.
Aim: To examine nurses’ decisions, aims and concerns when using anticipatory medications.
Design: An ethnographic study in two UK regions, using observations and interviews with nurses working in community and nursing home teams (n = 8).
Findings: Observations (n = 83) and interviews (n = 61) with community nurses. Nurses identified four ‘conditions’ that needed to be established before they implemented anticipatory medications: (1) irreversibility; (2) inability to take oral medication; (3) where the patient was able, they should consent and (4) decision had to be independent of demands or requests from patient’s relatives. By using anticipation medications, nurses sought to enable patients to be ‘comfortable and settled’ by provision of gradual relief of symptoms at the lowest dose possible. They aimed to respond quickly to needs, seeking to avoid hospital admission or medical call-out, while adhering to local prescribing policies. Worries included distinguishing between pain and agitation, balancing risks of under- and over-medication and the possibility of hastening death.
Conclusion: Nurses take a leading role in the administration of anticipatory medications. Nurses apply consideration and caution to the administration of anticipatory medications but some experience emotional burden. Education, training and experience played a role in the nurses’ confidence and should continue to be central to efforts to improving the quality of palliative care in the community and nursing homes
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