Published June 15, 2004 | Version Published
Journal Article Open

Analysis of first LIGO science data for stochastic gravitational waves

Creators

Abstract

We present the analysis of between 50 and 100 h of coincident interferometric strain data used to search for and establish an upper limit on a stochastic background of gravitational radiation. These data come from the first LIGO science run, during which all three LIGO interferometers were operated over a 2-week period spanning August and September of 2002. The method of cross correlating the outputs of two interferometers is used for analysis. We describe in detail practical signal processing issues that arise when working with real data, and we establish an observational upper limit on a f^-3 power spectrum of gravitational waves. Our 90% confidence limit is Ω0h100(^2)<~23±4.6 in the frequency band 40–314 Hz, where h100 is the Hubble constant in units of 100 km/sec/Mpc and Ω0 is the gravitational wave energy density per logarithmic frequency interval in units of the closure density. This limit is approximately 104 times better than the previous, broadband direct limit using interferometric detectors, and nearly 3 times better than the best narrow-band bar detector limit. As LIGO and other worldwide detectors improve in sensitivity and attain their design goals, the analysis procedures described here should lead to stochastic background sensitivity levels of astrophysical interest.

Additional Information

© 2004 American Physical Society. Received 14 January 2004; published 30 June 2004. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the United States National Science Foundation for the construction and operation of the LIGO Laboratory and the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council of the United Kingdom, the Max-Planck-Society and the State of Niedersachsen/Germany for support of the construction and operation of the GEO600 detector. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the support of the research by these agencies and by the Australian Research Council, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research of India, the Department of Science and Technology of India, the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia, the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Research Corporation, and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. This paper has been assigned LIGO Document Number LIGO-P030009-H-Z.

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Identifiers

Eprint ID
12967
Resolver ID
CaltechAUTHORS:ABBprd04c

Funding

NSF
Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC)
Max-Planck-Society
State of Niedersachsen/Germany
Australian Research Council
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (India)
Department of Science and Technology (India)
Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (MEC)
John Simon Guggenheimn Foundation
David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Research Corporation
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

Dates

Created
2009-01-14
Created from EPrint's datestamp field
Updated
2023-03-16
Created from EPrint's last_modified field

Caltech Custom Metadata

Caltech groups
TAPIR, LIGO
Other Numbering System Name
LIGO Document
Other Numbering System Identifier
LIGO-P030009-H-Z