RUI: Multi-Messenger Astronomy and Detector Characterization in LIGO

RUI：LIGO 中的多信使天文学和探测器表征

• 批准号: 1305864
• 负责人: Brennan Hughey
• 金额: $ 12.6万
• 依托单位: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-06-01 至 2016-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1305864&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Multi; Messenger; Astronomy; Detector

Gravitational waves have the potential to expand astronomy into an entirely new regime, providing information about the dynamics and central engines of astrophysical events that are not available by any other means. Combining gravitational waves with electromagnetic observations through multi-messenger astronomy will maximize the information available and allow scientific discoveries that would not be possible with either alone. Our research focuses on three specific projects. The first of these involves searches for gravitational waves in coincidence with short duration radio pulses. Radio signals are a potentially crucial component of a full program of multi-messenger astronomy in the advanced detector era. In some cases, radio emission may be the only observable signal in the direction of the Earth aside from gravitational waves. Using pulses from currently existing Green Bank Telescope pulsar surveys as external triggers in LIGO/Virgo searches will allow us to probe deeper into our current data and set the stage for future coincident analyses between radio signals and gravitational waves. The other direction in which multi-messenger astronomy can be performed, and our second area of focus, entails the follow-up of potential gravitational wave triggers with instruments looking for other astronomical messengers. Regardless of the method employed to detect a signal, having the best data possible to work with will be critical in successfully detecting gravitational waves. Thus, the third area of focus is in detector characterization, the understanding and mitigation of transient disturbances in the detector that may be confused with astrophysical signals, including developmental studies, as well as well as work maintaining software and validating the calibration of the instruments.Direct confirmation of Einstein's general theory of relativity through the observation of gravitational waves would be a major accomplishment of 21st century physics, with consequences in gravitational theory as well as astronomy and astrophysics. Validating this observation with coincident emission of photons from the same event would increase our confidence in such an observation. Additionally, a multi-messenger approach to astronomy, "hearing the universe" through gravitational waves as well as seeing it through optical, x-ray or radio astronomy, will allow us to gain a more complete scientific picture of the sky around us, potentially including such phenomena as gamma-ray bursts and supernovae. Since the research is carried out at a primarily undergraduate institution and fully integrates undergraduate researchers, this grant also facilitates the critical task of preparing the next generation of physicists.

引力波有可能将天文学扩展到一个全新的领域，提供关于天体物理事件的动力学和中心引擎的信息，这是任何其他方法都无法获得的。通过多信使天文学将引力波与电磁观测结合起来，将最大限度地利用可用信息，并允许科学发现，而这些发现是单独使用其中任何一项都不可能的。我们的研究集中在三个具体的项目上。其中第一个涉及搜索引力波，以与短持续时间的无线电脉冲重合。在先进的探测器时代，无线电信号是多信使天文学完整计划中潜在的关键组成部分。在某些情况下，除了引力波，射电发射可能是地球方向上唯一可观察到的信号。使用目前已有的绿岸望远镜脉冲星探测脉冲作为LIGO/处女座搜索的外部触发信号，将使我们能够更深入地探索我们当前的数据，并为未来无线电信号和引力波之间的重合分析奠定基础。可以进行多信使天文学的另一个方向，也是我们的第二个重点领域，需要用寻找其他天文信使的仪器来跟踪潜在的引力波触发。不管采用什么方法来探测信号，拥有尽可能好的数据将是成功探测引力波的关键。因此，第三个重点领域是探测器特性，理解和缓解探测器中可能与天体物理信号混淆的瞬时干扰，包括发展研究，以及维护软件和验证仪器校准的工作。通过观测引力波直接证实爱因斯坦的广义相对论将是21世纪物理学的一项重大成就，其结果将在引力理论以及天文学和天体物理学中产生影响。用来自同一事件的光子的符合发射来验证这一观测结果，将增加我们对这种观测的信心。此外，一种多信使的天文学方法，通过引力波“听到宇宙”，以及通过光学、X射线或射电天文学看到它，将使我们能够对我们周围的天空获得更完整的科学图景，可能包括伽马射线爆发和超新星等现象。由于这项研究主要是在本科院校进行的，并完全纳入了本科研究人员，因此这项拨款也有助于完成为下一代物理学家做准备的关键任务。