Gravitational Wave Burst Searches and Signal Validation

激光干涉仪引力波天文台(LIGO)现在正在以一种全新的方式探索天空，准备探测时空几何中的极微小涟漪，这些涟漪是由遥远的天体物体如黑洞、中子星和超新星产生的。这个项目包括在LIGO和类似的欧洲引力波观测站GEO和Virgo收集到的最好的数据中搜索引力波能量爆发。这些数据的特征将是识别和拒绝质量较差的周期，从而提高对搜索检测到的任何信号的置信度。此外，还将开发“快速响应”能力，使天文学家能够使用光学望远镜迅速检查候选引力波信号，以检查相关的光学信号，从而为探测提供支持并帮助确定来源。该项目充分利用美国国家科学基金会对LIGO的投资，尽可能广泛地搜索潜在的引力波来源。引力波的直接探测，当它到来时，将证实--或挑战--爱因斯坦相对论的一个关键预测，并将为理解宇宙中的大质量物体提供一个新的观测工具。该项目加强了引力波科学家之间的国际合作，与光学天文学界建立了联系，并通过提供研究经验为研究生教育做出了贡献。

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is now exploring the sky in a whole new way, poised to detect extremely tiny ripples in the geometry of spacetime that are generated by distant astrophysical objects such as black holes, neutron stars, and supernovas. This project involves searching for bursts of gravitational-wave energy in the best data collected so far by LIGO and the similar European gravitational-wave observatories, GEO and Virgo. The data will be characterized to identify and reject periods of poor quality, improving confidence in any signal detected by the search. Also, a "rapid response" capability will be developed to allow gravitational-wave signal candidates to be promptly examined by astronomers using optical telescopes in order to check for an associated optical signal that would lend support to the detection and help identify the source.This project takes full advantage of NSF's investment in LIGO to perform the broadest possible search for potential gravitational-wave sources. The direct detection of gravitational waves, when it comes, will confirm---or challenge---a key prediction of Einstein's theory of relativity and will provide a new observational tool for understanding massive objects in the universe. This project strengthens international cooperation among gravitational-wave scientists, builds connections with the optical astronomy community, and contributes to graduate education by providing research experience.