| NSF Org: |
PHY Division Of Physics |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | May 19, 2022 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | May 19, 2022 |
| Award Number: | 2207661 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Pedro Marronetti
pmarrone@nsf.gov (703)292-7372 PHY Division Of Physics MPS Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
| Start Date: | July 1, 2022 |
| End Date: | June 30, 2024 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $50,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $50,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1523 UNION RD RM 207 GAINESVILLE FL US 32611-1941 (352)392-3516 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1 UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GAINESVILLE FL US 32611-2002 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Gravity Exp. & Data Analysis |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.049 |
ABSTRACT
The discovery of gravitational waves from two merging black holes opened a new window on the Universe. Nevertheless, despite ongoing new discoveries, the physical process that makes black holes merge is still not understood. The proposed research will probe this question of origin by targeting mergers that retain eccentric orbits observable through their gravitational wave emission. The project will develop a targeted algorithm optimized to find eccentric mergers to be used during LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA?s upcoming observing runs. These research activities will provide training for graduate students in modeling and data analysis, skillsets which are in great demand and of great benefit to society. In addition, members of the group will engage in outreach activities in order to educate and inspire the public about this new field of physics and astronomy.
The first theme of the project is the enhancement of search sensitivity to eccentric mergers. This will be carried out using simulated eccentric gravitational waveforms and optimizing search parameters to detect these waveforms. The second theme of the project will be the characterization of this sensitivity. The reach of the search needs to be established for the full range of expected gravitational waveforms in order to enable the astrophysical interpretation of future detections. With these steps the project will help maximize the ability of the next LIGO/Virgo/KAGRA observing runs to elucidate the origin of newly detected black hole mergers.
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.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The project used gravitational wave signals to search for a special fingerprint of black hole collisions that carries information on how and in what environment the black holes encountered each other. This special signature is orbital eccentricity; when the black holes circle each other before they collide, their orbit depends on how long they were together, or whether there is any external object that perturbs their paths.
The project used observational data from the LIGO gravitational wave observatories' 3rd observing period (O3), the most sensitive such data published to date. The results of this search were interpreted to constrain the occurrence rate of eccentric black hole collisions in the Universe.
Detecting and identifying eccentric black hole collisions using gravitational waves has historically been difficult due to the lack of appropriate gravitational waveforms that could guide such searches. The project made steps to overcome these challenges by developing a dedicated search which was differentially more sensitive than alternative searches to some eccentric collisions, and focusing on determining the expected detection rate of events that could then be compared with expectations based on models of the Universe. The results provided the most sensitive constraint to date on the occurrence of eccentric black hole collisions in outer space.
Last Modified: 07/06/2024
Modified by: Imre Bartos
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