Detecting Gravitational Waves Using the public LIGO-VIRGO data: Doubling the sample of Binary Black Hole Mergers |
| TYPE | Astrophysics Seminar |
| Speaker: | Barak Zackay |
| Affiliation: | WIS |
| Date: | 23.06.2021 |
| Time: | 14:30 |
| Location: | Lidow 620 |
| Abstract: | First, I will briefly review my diverse projects in the research of planets, pulsars and gravitational waves.
Then, I will talk about one of the most exiting projects I have been working on in the past few years: Detecting gravitational waves on the public LIGO-VIRGO data. The LIGO-VIRGO data presents a magnificent opportunity for exploring the uncharted territory of binary compact objects. We have developed an independent analysis pipeline for analyzing the public LIGO-VIRGO data from the first two observing runs. We have developed several novel techniques, and revisited all the choices essential for such an analysis. The resulting improvement (comparing to the LIGO-VIRGO official analysis) amounts to doubling the probed volume for binary black holes, and as a result, doubled the sample of detected events. Among the newly discovered events are:
An event (GW170121) with substantial negative effective spin, An event (GW151216) with maximal effective spin, inconsistent with dynamical formation. An event (GW170817A) with source frame total mass of about a hundred solar masses, constraining the existence of any potential upper mass cutoffs. I will also discuss what we learned about binary black holes from studying the populations of these events.
Last, also discuss the prospects for detecting systems of lensed GW events, what we learn from them, and present an intriguing candidate.
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