Collaborative Proposal: WoU-MMA: Observations of Gravitational Wave Sources Using the Long Wavelength Array

最近世界范围内的天文观测活动，两颗中子星利用光或电磁辐射合并，以及引力波(GW)，一个被称为GW 170817的事件，打开了宇宙的多信使之窗，在许多物理和天文学领域的知识方面产生了巨大的进步。但这种合并至少有一个方面还有待观察探索：两个中子星(NS)的磁层或受磁场影响的空间区域之间的相互作用，与最强烈的引力波释放同时或恰好在释放最强烈的引力波和合并之前。各种理论模型表明，那时可能会发射出明亮、迅速、低频的射电脉冲。弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学(弗吉尼亚理工学院；佛蒙特州)和纽约州立大学老韦斯特伯里分校之间的研究合作将触发搜索与激光干涉仪引力波天文台(LIGO)和Virgo Collaboration探测到的来自双星NS合并的GW信号一致的快速无线电瞬变。这项工作将使用长波长阵列(LWA1)射电望远镜的第一站。弗吉尼亚理工大学的一名研究生和两所大学的本科生都将参与这项研究。在纽约州立大学老韦斯特伯里分校，学生群体主要由天文学中代表性较低的群体组成，将特别努力让这些群体的学生参与研究计划。观测与GW事件几乎重合的即时射电脉冲(或对其亮度设定极限)可以确定合并的环境物理细节，这可以在理解随后的吸积、相对论喷流、伽马射线爆发和随后的电磁发射方面发挥作用。LIGO将在项目期间于2021年开始O4科学运行。GW通知的延迟将足够低(3分钟)，使LWA1的S自动响应系统能够开始及时观测。该研究团队在使用LWA1的分散式单脉冲检测方面拥有丰富的经验。因此，他们处于有利的位置，可以观察到任何即时的低频脉冲。研究人员将通过LIGO-Virgo LVEM开放论坛尽可能快地传达他们对任何即时脉冲(或上限)的观察和分析，可能在事件发生后大约一天内。这个项目推进了NSF宇宙大理想之窗的目标。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The recent world-wide astronomy observing campaign of the merger of two neutron stars using light, or electromagnetic (EM) radiation, along with gravitational waves (GW), an event called GW 170817, threw wide open the multi-messenger window on the universe, producing large advances in knowledge about many fields of physics and astronomy. But at least one aspect of such a merger is yet to be explored by observations: the interaction of the magnetospheres, or regions of space affected by magnetic fields, of the two neutron stars (NS), contemporaneous with, or just prior to the release of the most intense gravitational waves and the merger. Various theoretical models suggest that a bright, prompt, low-frequency radio pulse could be emitted at that time. A research collaboration between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech; VT) and the State University of New York College at Old Westbury will conduct a triggered search for fast radio transients coincident with GW signals from binary NS mergers detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo collaboration. The first station of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1) radio telescope will be used in this work. A graduate student at Virginia Tech and undergraduate students at both institutions will be involved in this research. At SUNY Old Westbury, where the student body predominantly consists of members of groups underrepresented in astronomy, a particular effort will be made to involve students from these groups in the research program. Observing a prompt radio pulse in near-coincidence with a GW event (or setting limits on its brightness) could pin down details of the environmental physics of the merger which can play a role in understanding the subsequent accretion, relativistic jet, gamma-ray burst, and succeeding electromagnetic emission. LIGO will start the O4 science run in 2021, during the project period. The latency for GW notification will be low enough (3 minutes) to enable LWA1’s automatic response system to begin timely observations. The research team has extensive experience with dispersed single-pulse detection, using LWA1. So they are well-positioned to observe any prompt low-frequency pulse. The researchers will communicate their observations and analysis of any prompt pulse (or upper limit) as quickly as possible through the LIGO-Virgo OpenLVEM Forum, probably within about a day of an event. This project advances the goals of the NSF Windows on the Universe Big Idea.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.