LIGO Data Analysis and Gravitational Wave Astronomy

*9800111 Finn除了与LIGO实验引力波探测工作直接相关的数据分析问题外，该计划还解决引力波天文学的研究--预计将在未来几年开始对引力波观测进行解释。预计后一项研究工作将在LIGO科学合作的背景下进行。这项研究具有直接相关性，包括：根据目标科学统一评估可选探测器设计的“科学基准”；产生具有高斯统计和可包括任意尖锐频谱特征的规定功率谱密度的可扩展伪随机序列的技术(用于模拟LIGO接收器的高斯平稳噪声分量)；用于识别和表征非高斯平稳和非平稳仪器噪声的统计特性的诊断技术，充分利用独立引力波探测器网络的相关输出中存在的信息的数据分析算法，使用最大似然检验识别随机信号的数据分析算法，能够识别爆发源或未知源的数据分析算法，以及作为已在文献中探索的频率算法的替代的贝叶斯数据分析算法。这里讨论的引力波天文学研究问题集中在非奇异源引起的随机信号的源计算；从天体物理源的角度解释一般爆发源的观测；使用双星宇宙学观测作为对致密双星中各分量质量分布的普查，并作为测量哈勃常数和其他宇宙学参数的尺度；以及使用LIGO中的引力波观测来测试关于引力子“自旋”的替代引力理论的预测。

***9800111FinnThis program addresses research in gravitational wave astronomy--the interpretation of gravitational wave observations that are anticipated to begin in the next several years--in addition to data analysis questions of direct relevance to the LIGO experimental gravitational wave detection effort. It is anticipated that the latter research efforts will be carried out in the context of the LIGO Science Collaboration. This research if of direct relevance to include development of: "science benchmarks" for the uniform assessment of alternative detector designs in terms of target science; techniques for generating extensible pseudo-random sequences with Gaussian statistics and a prescribed power spectral density that may include arbitrarily sharp spectral features (for simulating the Gaussian-stationary noise component of the LIGO receiver); diagnostics techniques for identifying and characterizing the statistical properties of non-Gaussian stationary and non-stationary instrumental noise, data analysis algorithms that exploit fully the information present in the correlated output of a network of independent gravitational wave detectors, data analysis algorithms for the identification of stochastic signals using maximum likelihood tests, data analysis algorithms capable of identifying burst sources or unknown origin, and Bayesian data analysis algorithms as alternatives to the Frequentist algorithms that have already been explored in the literature.Gravitational wave astronomy research problems addressed here focus on source calculations for stochastic signals arising from non-exotic sources; interpretation of observations of generic burst sources in terms of astrophysical sources; the use of binary inspiral observations as a census of the distribution of component masses in compact binaries and as a yardstick by which the Hubble constant and other cosmological parameters may be measured; and the use of gravitational wave observations in LIGO to test predictions of alternative theories of gravity regarding the "spin" of the graviton.***