Gravitational Wave Transient Astrophysics with LIGO

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In the five years since the historic discovery of gravitational waves unlocked the dawn of a new kind of astrophysics, gravitational waves have continued to probe the cosmos and reveal some of the most obscure mysteries of the universe. According to the theory of General Relativity, gravitational waves are tiny oscillations of the curvature of space-time produced by the acceleration of massive astrophysical objects, such as colliding black holes or neutron stars. The information these waves carry is different and complementary to that of photons, neutrinos and cosmic rays -- this is the era of multi-messenger astrophysics. The NSF-funded Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) is currently the most sensitive gravitational wave-detector in the world. Following its first discovery of gravitational waves in 2015, LIGO and its sister project Virgo together have now detected dozens of binary black hole collisions, and are exploring the origins and nature of black holes that were once only theorized about. The landmark 2017 multi-messenger observation of binary neutron star (BNS) merger GW170817 yielded a wealth of additional discoveries, and has prompted the field to grow at an even more rapid pace. This award supports LIGO science performed at the Georgia Institute of Technology for the detection, characterization and astrophysical interpretation of gravitational-wave transients in LIGO data, towards a new frontier in science and a deeper understanding of the universe. The team supported by this award has a long record of contributing to mission-critical tasks and publications of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, and will continue to engage in core LIGO science through a combination of morphology-independent techniques, template-based approaches, and multi-messenger strategies. The team will enable LIGO science by developing data analysis infrastructure, studying the impact of data quality and participating in the analysis of candidate events using three algorithms in use by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration: BayesWave, a model-independent code for waveform reconstruction and event characterization; RIFT, a code for rapid parameter inference using template families and numerical relativity waveforms; and PyGRB, for the detection of coincidences with astrophysical events such as gamma-ray bursts. The team will also explore novel approaches for understanding special astrophysical targets, such as neutron-star post-merger events, black hole hyperbolic encounters, and coincidences with neutrino events. The award will benefit from the collaboration of a synergistic team at the Georgia Tech Center for Relativistic Astrophysics which includes experts in computational astrophysics, cosmology, particle astrophysics, astronomy, the college of computing, a strong outreach program in Atlanta enhanced by the ties to the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, and a firm commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion and the engagement of women in STEM.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.