Abstract. The gravitational wave detector VIRGO is in the final commissioning phase and some preliminary data has already been acquired. The aim of VIRGO is to directly detect gravitational waves emitted by compact objects at the time of... more
Abstract. The gravitational wave detector VIRGO is in the final commissioning phase and some preliminary data has already been acquired. The aim of VIRGO is to directly detect gravitational waves emitted by compact objects at the time of coalescence and by other astrophysical sources. Here we report on the present sensitivity for detecting these sources and what we Will achieve in the near future. We also discuss some details of our data analysis methods and we show some preliminary results related to the fraction of the ...
Results. For signals near the detection threshold, our low-latency algorithms often localized simulated GW burst signals to tens of square degrees, while neutron star/neutron star inspirals and neutron star/black hole inspirals were... more
Results. For signals near the detection threshold, our low-latency algorithms often localized simulated GW burst signals to tens of square degrees, while neutron star/neutron star inspirals and neutron star/black hole inspirals were localized to a few hundred square degrees. Localization precision improves for moderately stronger signals. The correct sky location of signals well above threshold and originating from nearby galaxies may be observed with ~50% or better probability with a few pointings of wide-field telescopes.
Within linearized perturbation theory, black holes decay to their final stationary state through the well-known spectrum of quasinormal modes. Here we numerically study whether nonlinearities change this picture. For that purpose we study... more
Within linearized perturbation theory, black holes decay to their final stationary state through the well-known spectrum of quasinormal modes. Here we numerically study whether nonlinearities change this picture. For that purpose we study the ringdown frequencies of gauge-invariant second-order gravitational perturbations induced by self-coupling of linearized perturbations of Schwarzschild black holes. We do so through high-accuracy simulations in the time domain of first and second-order Regge-Wheeler-Zerilli type equations, for a variety of initial data sets. We consider first-order even-parity $(\ell=2,m=\pm 2)$ perturbations and odd-parity $(\ell=2,m=0)$ ones, and all the multipoles that they generate through self-coupling. For all of them and all the initial data sets considered we find that ---in contrast to previous predictions in the literature--- the numerical decay frequencies of second-order perturbations are the same ones of linearized theory, and we explain the observe...
he emission of gravitational waves from a system of massive objects interacting on hyperbolic orbits is studied in the quadrupole approximation. Analytic expressions are derived for the gravitational radiation luminosity, the total energy... more
he emission of gravitational waves from a system of massive objects interacting on hyperbolic orbits is studied in the quadrupole approximation. Analytic expressions are derived for the gravitational radiation luminosity, the total energy output and the gravitational radiation amplitude. An estimation of the expected number of events towards different targets (i.e. globular clusters and the center of the Galaxy) is also given. In particular, for a dense stellar cluster at the galactic center, a rate up to one event per year is obtained.
The prediction of gravitational waves (GWs), oscillations in the space–time metric that propagate at the speed of light, is one of the most profound differences between Einstein's general theory of relativity and the Newtonian theory... more
The prediction of gravitational waves (GWs), oscillations in the space–time metric that propagate at the speed of light, is one of the most profound differences between Einstein's general theory of relativity and the Newtonian theory of gravity that it replaced. GWs remained a theoretical prediction for more than 50 years until the first observational evidence for their existence came with the discovery and subsequent observations of the binary pulsar PSR 1913+ 16, by Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor.
Space-based experiments today can uniquely address important questions related to the fundamental laws of Nature. In particular, high-accuracy physics experiments in space can test relativistic gravity and probe the physics beyond the... more
Space-based experiments today can uniquely address important questions related to the fundamental laws of Nature. In particular, high-accuracy physics experiments in space can test relativistic gravity and probe the physics beyond the Standard Model; they can perform direct detection of gravitational waves and are naturally suited for precision investigations in cosmology and astroparticle physics. In addition, atomic physics has recently shown substantial progress in the development of optical clocks and atom interferometers. If placed in space, these instruments could turn into powerful high-resolution quantum sensors greatly benefiting fundamental physics. We discuss the current status of space-based research in fundamental physics, its discovery potential, and its importance for modern science. We offer a set of recommendations to be considered by the upcoming National Academy of Sciences' Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics. In our opinion, the Decadal Survey shoul...
The goal of the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is to detect and study gravitational waves of astrophysical origin. Direct detection of gravitational waves holds the promise of testing general relativity in the... more
The goal of the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is to detect and study gravitational waves of astrophysical origin. Direct detection of gravitational waves holds the promise of testing general relativity in the strong-field regime, of providing a new probe of exotic objects such as black hole and neutron stars, and of uncovering unanticipated new astrophysics. LIGO, a joint Caltech-MIT project supported by the National Science Foundation, operates three multi-kilometer interferometers at two widely separated sites in the United States. These detectors are the result of decades of worldwide technology development, design, construction, and commissioning. They are now operating at their design sensitivity, and are sensitive to gravitational wave strains smaller than 1 part in 1E21. With this unprecedented sensitivity, the data are being analyzed to detect or place limits on gravitational waves from a variety of potential astrophysical sources.
On 14 September 2015, LIGO's automated systems detected an oscillation of 35 Hertz that sped up to 250 Hz in 0.25 seconds before disappearing. The 0.007-second delay between signals in Louisiana and Washington implied that Gravitational... more
On 14 September 2015, LIGO's automated systems detected an oscillation of 35 Hertz that sped up to 250 Hz in 0.25 seconds before disappearing. The 0.007-second delay between signals in Louisiana and Washington implied that Gravitational waves must travel at the speed of light. The observation also paves the way for testing general relativity. Until now, physicists have studied gravity only in conditions where the force is relatively weak. By studying gravitational waves, they can now explore extreme conditions in which the energy in an object's gravitational field accounts for most or all of its mass-the realm of strong gravity so far explored by theorists alone.
In this report we discuss the impact of polarized foregrounds on a future CMBPol satellite mission. We review our current knowledge of Galactic polarized emission at microwave frequencies, including synchrotron and thermal dust emission.... more
In this report we discuss the impact of polarized foregrounds on a future CMBPol satellite mission. We review our current knowledge of Galactic polarized emission at microwave frequencies, including synchrotron and thermal dust emission. We use existing data and our understanding of the physical behavior of the sources of foreground emission to generate sky templates, and start to assess how well primordial gravitational wave signals can be separated from foreground contaminants for a CMBPol mission. At the estimated foreground minimum of ~100 GHz, the polarized foregrounds are expected to be lower than a primordial polarization signal with tensor-to-scalar ratio r=0.01, in a small patch (~1%) of the sky known to have low Galactic emission. Over 75% of the sky we expect the foreground amplitude to exceed the primordial signal by about a factor of eight at the foreground minimum and on scales of two degrees. Only on the largest scales does the polarized foreground amplitude exceed the primordial signal by a larger factor of about 20. The prospects for detecting an r=0.01 signal including degree-scale measurements appear promising, with 5 sigma_r ~0.003 forecast from multiple methods. A mission that observes a range of scales offers better prospects from the foregrounds perspective than one targeting only the lowest few multipoles. We begin to explore how optimizing the composition of frequency channels in the focal plane can maximize our ability to perform component separation, with a range of typically 40 < nu < 300 GHz preferred for ten channels. Foreground cleaning methods are already in place to tackle a CMBPol mission data set, and further investigation of the optimization and detectability of the primordial signal will be useful for mission design.
The principle of nuclear democracy is invoked to prove the formation of stable quantized gravitational bound states of primordial black holes called Holeums. The latter come in four varieties: ordinary Holeums H, Black Holeums BH, Hyper... more
The principle of nuclear democracy is invoked to prove the formation of stable quantized gravitational bound states of primordial black holes called Holeums. The latter come in four varieties: ordinary Holeums H, Black Holeums BH, Hyper Holeums HH and the massless Lux Holeums LH.These Holeums are invisible because the gravitational radiation emitted by their quantum transitions is undetectable now. The
This review paper is devoted to the theory of orbits. We start with the discussion of the Newtonian problem of motion then we consider the relativistic problem of motion, in particular the PN approximation and the further gravitomagnetic... more
This review paper is devoted to the theory of orbits. We start with the discussion of the Newtonian problem of motion then we consider the relativistic problem of motion, in particular the PN approximation and the further gravitomagnetic corrections. Finally by a classification of orbits in accordance with the conditions of motion, we calculate the gravitational waves luminosity for different types of stellar encounters and orbits.
Cosmic superstrings are introduced to non-experts. First D-branes and $(p,q)$ strings are discussed. Then we explain how tachyon condensation in the early universe may have produced F, D and $(p,q)$ strings. Warped geometries which can... more
Cosmic superstrings are introduced to non-experts. First D-branes and $(p,q)$ strings are discussed. Then we explain how tachyon condensation in the early universe may have produced F, D and $(p,q)$ strings. Warped geometries which can render horizon sized superstrings relatively light are discussed. Various warped geometries including the deformed conifold in the Klebanov-Strassler geometry are reviewed and their warp factors are calculated. The decay rates for strings in the KS geometry are calculated and reasons for the necessity of orientifolds are reviewed. We then outline calculations of the intercommuting probability of F, D and $(p,q)$ strings and explain in detail why cosmic superstring intercommuting probabilities can be small. We explore cosmic superstring networks. Their scaling properties are examined using the Velocity One Scale model and its extra dimensional extensions. Two different approaches and two sets of simulations are reviewed. Finally, we review in detail the gravitational wave amplitude calculations for strings with intercommuting probability $P<1$.
Quasinormal modes are eigenmodes of dissipative systems. Perturbations of classical gravitational backgrounds involving black holes or branes naturally lead to quasinormal modes. The analysis and classification of the quasinormal spectra... more
Quasinormal modes are eigenmodes of dissipative systems. Perturbations of classical gravitational backgrounds involving black holes or branes naturally lead to quasinormal modes. The analysis and classification of the quasinormal spectra requires solving non-Hermitian eigenvalue problems for the associated linear differential equations. Within the recently developed gauge-gravity duality, these modes serve as an important tool for determining the near-equilibrium properties of strongly coupled quantum field theories, in particular their transport coefficients, such as viscosity, conductivity and diffusion constants. In astrophysics, the detection of quasinormal modes in gravitational wave experiments would allow precise measurements of the mass and spin of black holes as well as new tests of general relativity. This review is meant as an introduction to the subject, with a focus on the recent developments in the field.
The LISA mission observes gravitational waves by measuring the separations between freely floating proof masses located 5 million kilometers apart with an accuracy of 10 picometers. The separations are measured interferometrically. The... more
The LISA mission observes gravitational waves by measuring the separations between freely floating proof masses located 5 million kilometers apart with an accuracy of 10 picometers. The separations are measured interferometrically. The telescope is an afocal Cassegrain style design with a magnification of 80x. The entrance pupil has a 40 cm diameter and will either be centered on-axis or de-centered off-axis to avoid obscurations. Its two main purposes are to transform the small diameter beam used on the optical bench to a diffraction limited collimated beam to efficiently transfer the metrology laser between spacecraft, and to receive the incoming light from the far spacecraft. It transmits and receives simultaneously. The basic optical design and requirements are well understood for a conventional telescope design for imaging applications, but the LISA design is complicated by the additional requirement that the total optical path through the telescope must remain stable at the picometer level over the measurement band during the mission to meet the measurement accuracy. This poster describes the requirements for the telescope and the preliminary work that has been done to understand the materials and mechanical issues associated with the design of a passive metering structure to support the telescope and to maintain the spacing between the primary and secondary mirrors in the LISA on-orbit environment. This includes the requirements flowdown from the science goals, thermal modeling of the spacecraft and telescope to determine the expected temperature distribution, layout options for the telescope including an on-and off-axis design, and plans for fabrication and testing.
A review of current efforts to approach and to surpass the fundamental limit in the sensitivity of the Weber type gravitational wave antennae is reported. Applications of quantum non-demolition techniques to the concrete example of an... more
A review of current efforts to approach and to surpass the fundamental limit in the sensitivity of the Weber type gravitational wave antennae is reported. Applications of quantum non-demolition techniques to the concrete example of an antenna resonant with the transducer are discussed in detail. Analogies and differences from the framework of the squeezed states in quantum optics are discussed.
Data from a new experiment measuring the anisotropy of the one-way speed of EM waves in a coaxial cable, gives the speed of light as 300,000+/-400+/-20km/s in a measured direction RA=5.5+/-2hrs, Dec=70+/-10deg S, is shown to be in... more
Data from a new experiment measuring the anisotropy of the one-way speed of EM waves in a coaxial cable, gives the speed of light as 300,000+/-400+/-20km/s in a measured direction RA=5.5+/-2hrs, Dec=70+/-10deg S, is shown to be in excellent agreement with the results from seven previous anisotropy experiments, particularly those of Miller (1925/26), and even those of Michelson and Morley
Detecting pedestrians in low resolution videos is a challenging task, due to the small size of pedestrians in the images and the limited information. In practical outdoor surveillance scenarios the pedestrian size is usually small.... more
Detecting pedestrians in low resolution videos is a challenging task, due to the small size of pedestrians in the images and the limited information. In practical outdoor surveillance scenarios the pedestrian size is usually small. Existing state-of-the-art pedestrian detection methods that use histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) features have poor performance in this problem domain. To compensate for the lack of information in a single frame, we propose a novel detection method that recognizes pedestrians in a short sequence of frames. Namely, we take the single-frame HOG-based detector and extend it to multiple frames. Our detector is applied to regions containing potential moving objects. In the case of video taken from a moving camera on an aerial platform, video stabilization is first performed to register the frames. A classifier is then applied to features extracted from spatio-temporal volumes surrounding the potential moving objects. On challenging stationary and aerial video datasets, our detection accuracy outperforms several state-of-the-art algorithms.
In 1916, Einstein attempted to use his general theory of relativity to predict that something special happens when two bodies—such as planets or stars—orbit each other. He believed that this kind of movement could cause ripples in space.... more
In 1916, Einstein attempted to use his general theory of relativity to predict that something special happens when two bodies—such as planets or stars—orbit each other. He believed that this kind of movement could cause ripples in space. These ripples would spread out like the ripples in a pond when a stone is tossed in. Scientists call these ripples of space gravitational waves. The following paper describes the functioning and effects of gravitational waves to present day knowledge along with the effects and how we humans are able to detect it.
The spectral triple approach to noncommutative geometry allows one to develop the entire standard model (and supersymmetric extensions) of particle physics from a purely geometry stand point and thus treats both gravity and particle... more
The spectral triple approach to noncommutative geometry allows one to develop the entire standard model (and supersymmetric extensions) of particle physics from a purely geometry stand point and thus treats both gravity and particle physics on the same footing. The bosonic sector of the theory contains a modification to Einstein-Hilbert gravity, involving a nonconformal coupling of curvature to the Higgs field and conformal Weyl term (in addition to a nondynamical topological term). In this paper we derive the weak field limit of this gravitational theory and show that the production and dynamics of gravitational waves are significantly altered. In particular, we show that the graviton contains a massive mode that alters the energy lost to gravitational radiation, in systems with evolving quadrupole moment. We explicitly calculate the general solution and apply it to systems with periodically varying quadrupole moments, focusing in particular on the the well know energy loss formula for circular binaries.
The gravitational-wave (GW) sky may include nearby pointlike sources as well as astrophysical and cosmological stochastic backgrounds. Since the relative strength and angular distribution of the many possible sources of GWs are not well... more
The gravitational-wave (GW) sky may include nearby pointlike sources as well as astrophysical and cosmological stochastic backgrounds. Since the relative strength and angular distribution of the many possible sources of GWs are not well constrained, searches for GW signals must be performed in a model-independent way. To that end we perform two directional searches for persistent GWs using data from the LIGO S5 science run: one optimized for pointlike sources and one for arbitrary extended sources. The latter result is the first of its kind. Finding no evidence to support the detection of GWs, we present 90% confidence level (CL) upper-limit maps of GW strain power with typical values between 2-20x10^-50 strain^2 Hz^-1 and 5-35x10^-49 strain^2 Hz^-1 sr^-1 for pointlike and extended sources respectively. The limits on pointlike sources constitute a factor of 30 improvement over the previous best limits. We also set 90% CL limits on the narrow-band root-mean-square GW strain from interesting targets including Sco X-1, SN1987A and the Galactic Center as low as ~7x10^-25 in the most sensitive frequency range near 160 Hz. These limits are the most constraining to date and constitute a factor of 5 improvement over the previous best limits.