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

最近，世界范围内的天文学观测活动利用光或电磁（EM）辐射以及引力波（GW）观测到两颗中子星的合并，这一事件被称为GW 170817，它打开了宇宙的多信使窗口，在物理学和天文学的许多领域产生了巨大的知识进步。但至少这种合并的一个方面还需要通过观测来探索：两颗中子星（NS）的磁层或受磁场影响的空间区域的相互作用，与最强烈的引力波释放和合并同时或之前。各种理论模型表明，在那个时候可能会发射出明亮、迅速、低频的无线电脉冲。弗吉尼亚理工学院和州立大学（Virginia Tech； VT）以及位于老韦斯特伯里的纽约州立大学学院之间的一项研究合作将进行一项触发搜索，寻找与激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO）和处女座合作探测到的双NS并合的GW信号相一致的快速无线电瞬变。长波阵列（LWA1）射电望远镜的第一站将用于这项工作。一名弗吉尼亚理工大学的研究生和两所大学的本科生将参与这项研究。在纽约州立大学老韦斯特伯里分校，学生主要由天文学领域代表性不足的群体组成，因此将特别努力让这些群体的学生参与研究项目。观察与GW事件几乎重合的快速射电脉冲（或对其亮度设置限制）可以确定合并的环境物理细节，这可以在理解随后的吸积，相对论性喷流，伽马射线暴和随后的电磁发射中发挥作用。在项目期间，LIGO将于2021年开始O4科学运行。GW通知的延迟足够低（3分钟），使LWA1的自动响应系统能够及时开始观察。该研究团队在使用LWA1进行分散单脉冲检测方面拥有丰富的经验。因此，它们可以很好地观察到任何提示的低频脉冲。研究人员将通过LIGO-Virgo OpenLVEM论坛尽可能快地交流他们对任何提示脉冲（或上限）的观察和分析，可能在活动的一天之内。这个项目推进了NSF宇宙大构想窗口的目标。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.