Comparing Waveform Templates in Extracting Astrophysical Information from Gravitational Wave Signals
Session Number
U05
Advisor(s)
Vicky Kalogera, Northwestern University Brandon Miller, Northwestern University
Location
A-121
Start Date
28-4-2016 8:00 AM
End Date
28-4-2016 8:25 AM
Abstract
A phenomenon that stands on the brink of revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos, gravitational waves are disturbances in the fabric of space-time, propagating from massive star-systems at the speed of light. Transparent to matter particulates and other obstacles that would normally hinder traditional, lightbased observation, gravitational waves hold the potential to provide clear, undistorted data on everything from the Big Bang to black holes. This investigation focused on interpreting gravitational wave data using a variety of mathematical models called waveform templates. By comparing templates of varying degrees of complexity and comprehensiveness, general conclusions regarding the accuracy and computational efficiency of different templates may be drawn. A particular focus at the moment regards analyzing the efficacy of templates that focus on just one segment of a typical gravitational wave signal. Preliminary estimates suggest that the template IMRPhenomPv2 may provide a thorough, precise analysis of signals while being relatively computationally cheap. Ultimately, the work done through this investigation may provide a formal valuation of the different waveform templates, building a foundation for future gravitational wave analysis.
Comparing Waveform Templates in Extracting Astrophysical Information from Gravitational Wave Signals
A-121
A phenomenon that stands on the brink of revolutionizing our understanding of the cosmos, gravitational waves are disturbances in the fabric of space-time, propagating from massive star-systems at the speed of light. Transparent to matter particulates and other obstacles that would normally hinder traditional, lightbased observation, gravitational waves hold the potential to provide clear, undistorted data on everything from the Big Bang to black holes. This investigation focused on interpreting gravitational wave data using a variety of mathematical models called waveform templates. By comparing templates of varying degrees of complexity and comprehensiveness, general conclusions regarding the accuracy and computational efficiency of different templates may be drawn. A particular focus at the moment regards analyzing the efficacy of templates that focus on just one segment of a typical gravitational wave signal. Preliminary estimates suggest that the template IMRPhenomPv2 may provide a thorough, precise analysis of signals while being relatively computationally cheap. Ultimately, the work done through this investigation may provide a formal valuation of the different waveform templates, building a foundation for future gravitational wave analysis.