Know Your Noise: Discovery in Gravitational Wave Astronomy Through Parametric Noise Modeling

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After decades of research and development, the search for gravitational waves has finally succeeded, and their detection has forever changed the field of astronomy. The LIGO and Virgo observatories detected at least one binary neutron star merger and ten binary black hole mergers by the end of their second observing run, and well over 50 more compact binary mergers in their third observing run. While these detections have already validated the theory of general relativity at new extremes, enabled novel cosmological measurements, and greatly advanced our understanding of compact objects, we have only scratched the surface of what these detectors will teach us. As sensitivities improve, we continue to push the boundaries of the observed compact binary parameter space, and we must address limitations in current noise modeling techniques to fortify our efforts to continue making discoveries. Noise transients — or “glitches” — have already challenged current analysis techniques, and potentially stand in the way of discovering binaries with the most extreme mass ratios and spins; possibly the most informative for understanding compact binary formation and evolution. The group will develop empirical methods to construct parameterized models of common glitch classes that will model noise transients with unparalleled fidelity, enabling robust noise mitigation, facilitating detector commissioning efforts, and enabling impactful discoveries that gravitational waves are uniquely suited to make. In parallel the group will leverage astronomy's innate ability to capture the public's curiosity to engage in conversations on astronomy and broader STEM topics within the Oregon community. They will launch the Gas Up and Gaze Up program, where researchers will bring telescopes to gas stations throughout Oregon to host walk-up observing sessions and discuss astronomy and STEM topics with gas station patrons. This will be coupled with the efforts of the University of Oregon’s Pine Mountain Observatory (PMO), where graduate and undergraduate student facilitators will receive telescope operation and outreach training. These students will also be the founding members of a pool of teaching assistants and near-peer mentors trained to use PMO remotely, enabling inclusion of remote observing projects in existing courses in the undergraduate physics curriculum at the University of Oregon.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.