Search and validation of transient gravitational wave events in LIGO

引力波是由加速的质量在时空结构中产生的涟漪，爱因斯坦的广义相对论在1916年首次预测到。它们是来自宇宙的难以捉摸的信使，因为它们携带着黑洞碰撞、超新星爆炸和大爆炸等灾难性事件的信息，但它们极难测量。到目前为止，我们只能间接证明它们的存在，但它们的发现将提供一种新的方式来倾听宇宙，并开创引力波天文学的新时代。 LIGO项目的雄心勃勃的目标是使用三个具有公里级基线的激光干涉仪来探测引力波，两个位于华盛顿州的汉福德，一个位于洛杉矶的利文斯顿。LIGO最近完成了为期两年的设计灵敏度运行，LIGO科学合作组织（LSC）正在分析数据。 与此同时，探测器的增强将使LIGO在当前初始配置下敏感的源的距离增加一倍。该奖项支持马萨诸塞州大学阿默斯特LSC小组的参与。该小组将参与LIGO数据的分析，特别关注黑洞合并的信号和偶然发现的未建模的引力波爆发。 该项目还将重点关注从数据分析到探测器表征的桥梁，使用数据分析工具为仪器专员提供天体物理反馈，并制定策略来区分引力波候选者和探测器中的杂散噪声瞬变。该奖项促进了多样性，因为它支持了一个新的研究小组，由一位初级女性PI成立。学生将在知识的前沿令人兴奋的研究的一部分，PI将参加以科学中的妇女和少数民族为主题的外联活动。

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space-time produced by accelerating masses, first predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity in 1916. They are elusive messengers from the Universe, as they carry information from such catastrophic events as the collision of black holes, supernova explosions and the Big Bang, but they are extremely hard to measure. To date, we only have indirect proof of their existence, but their detection will provide a new way to listen to the Universe, and initiate a new era of gravitational wave astronomy. The LIGO project has the ambitious goal to detect gravitational waves using three laser interferometers with km-scale baselines, two located in Hanford, WA and one in Livingston, LA.LIGO recently completed a 2-year run at design sensitivity, and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) is analyzing the data. At the same time detector enhancements will double the distance of sources LIGO is sensitive to, in the current, initial configuration.This award supports the participation to this effort of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst LSC group. The group will be involved in the analysis of LIGO data, with particular attention to the signals from the coalescence of black holes and to the serendipitous discovery of unmodeled bursts of gravitational waves. The project will also focus on the bridge from data analysis to detector characterization, using data analysis tools to provide astrophysical feedback for instrument commissioners and developing strategies to discriminate between gravitational wave candidates and spurious noise transients in the detector.This award promotes diversity, as it supports a new research group, founded by a junior female PI. Students will be part of exciting research at the frontiers of knowledge and the PI will participate in outreach activities centered on the theme of women and minorities in science.