Gravitational Waves from Compact Objects

激光干涉仪引力波天文台(LIGO)探测到了来自双黑洞的引力波，验证了爱因斯坦的预测，并打开了一扇全新的宇宙之窗。引力波非常小，因此除了建造和操作仪器的技术挑战外，寻找引力波在数据分析、数学技术和计算方面也是巨大的挑战。从理论上理解引力波的来源，如中子星和黑洞，也有助于指导搜索，并从搜索结果中了解这些天体。该奖项下的数据分析和理论工作将有助于将LIGO从一个原型仪器转变为探索物理和天体物理的工具，包括在最极端条件下探索奇异粒子相和复杂物质微物理的可能性。尤其是连续波信号，可以直接观察到中子星原本难以接近的内部。随着这些年的自转，这些恒星可以告诉我们自大爆炸以来最极端的条件下物质的性质：超核密度、相对论速度、超导和1亿度的超流。该奖项支持对高级LIGO数据进行匹配过滤搜索，以寻找连续的引力波，这是基于德克萨斯理工学院最初发表的LIGO出版物中使用的代码；并支持开发该代码以提高灵敏度和效率，允许更连续的引力波搜索，并分离仪器文物。具体的科学目标是：(1)定向搜索年轻的非脉冲中子星，(2)窄带搜索具有异常引力波频率的已知脉冲星，(3)侧重于窄谱线的探测器特性，以及(4)对搜索连续引力波，特别是来自中子星r模的引力波的理论指导和解释。

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) has detected gravitational waves from binary black holes, verifying Einstein's predictions and opening an entirely new window onto the universe. Gravitational waves are very small, so searching for them presents great challenges in data analysis, mathematical techniques, and computation on top of the technical challenges of building and operating the instruments. A theoretical understanding of the sources of gravitational waves, such as neutron stars and black holes, can also help guide searches as well as learn about these objects from the results of the searches. Both the data analysis and theory work under this award will help transform LIGO from a prototype instrument into a tool for exploring physics and astrophysics, including the possibility of exotic particle phases and the complicated microphysics of matter under the most extreme conditions. A continuous wave signal in particular will give a direct view into the otherwise inaccessible interiors of neutron stars. As they spin down over the years, these stars can tell us about the properties of matter under the most extreme conditions since the Big Bang: supernuclear densities, relativistic speeds, superconducting and superfluid at a hundred million degrees.This award supports the implementation of matched filtering searches of Advanced LIGO data for continuous gravitational waves based on the Texas Tech group's code used in Initial LIGO publications; and supports development of that code to improve sensitivity and efficiency, allow more continuous gravitational wave searches, and isolate instrumental artifacts. Specific science goals are (1) directed searches for young non-pulsing neutron stars, (2) narrow-band searches for known pulsars with unusual gravitational-wave frequencies, (3) detector characterization focusing on narrow spectral lines, and (4) theoretical guidance and interpretation of searches for continuous gravitational waves, particularly from neutron-star r-modes.