Abstract

Gravitational waves (GWs) are propagating ripples of space-time predicted by general relativity. 100 years after Albert Einstein published his theory of GR, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) found the first direct detection of GW in the first Advanced LIGO observing run. The GW signal known as GW150914 (Abbott et al., 2016), was the first of a series of binary black hole mergers observed by LIGO. These detections marked the beginning of gravitational-wave astronomy.

The continuous wave (CW) signal emitted by fast spinning neutron stars (NSs) is an another interesting source for a detector like LIGO. The low-mass X-ray binary (LMXB) Scorpius X-1 (Sco X-1) is considered to be one of the most promising CW sources. With improving sensitivity of advanced detectors and improving methods, we are getting closer to being able to detect an astrophysically feasible GW signal from Sco X-1 in the coming few years.

Searching for CWs from NSs of unknown phase evolution is computationally intensive. For a target with large uncertainty in its parameters such as Sco X-1, the fully coherent search is computationally impractical, while faster algorithms have limited sensitivity. The cross-correlation method combines all data-pairs in a maximum time offset from same and different detectors coherently based on the signal model. We can adjust the maximum coherence time to trade off computing cost and sensitivity. The cross-correlation method is flexible and so far the most sensitive.

In this dissertation I will present the implementation of Cross-correlation method for Sco X-1, its test on a Sco X-1 mock-data challenge (MDC) data set and the Advanced LIGO O1 observations. This search gave the best results in the Sco X-1 mock data challenge and recent LIGO Sco X-1 search. In the O1 run, the Cross-correlation search managed to improve the upper limit on GW strain strength from Sco X-1 closer than ever before to the level estimated from a torque balance argument.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Gravitational waves--Measurement; Neutron stars--Remote sensing; Laser interferometers

Publication Date

8-11-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Astrophysical Sciences and Technology (Ph.D.)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Physics and Astronomy (COS)

Advisor

John T Whelan

Advisor/Committee Member

David S. Ross

Advisor/Committee Member

Joshua Faber

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

ASTP-PHD

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