Gravitational Wave Transient Astrophysics with LIGO

This award supports research in relativity and relativistic astrophysics, and it addresses the priority areas of NSF's "Windows on the Universe" Big Idea. This award supports LIGO science at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The discovery of gravitational waves by NSF's Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has revolutionized astrophysics and unveiled a cosmic symphony of colliding black holes and neutron stars. Gravitational waves provide a new window into the dynamic universe, promising exciting insights into the nature of gravity, the origins of heavy elements, and the evolution of the cosmos. By detecting and interpreting these ripples in spacetime, this project advances the understanding of the universe and its most extreme phenomena. The award also supports the training of a diverse group of students, nurturing the next generation of scientists and promoting inclusive excellence in STEM. Through public outreach activities, the team supported by this award will share the excitement of gravitational wave discoveries with the broader community, inspiring curiosity and a sense of wonder about the universe. This project aligns with NSF's mission by expanding the frontiers of knowledge and benefits society by cultivating a diverse, globally competitive STEM workforce. The goal of this project is to advance LIGO science by detecting, characterizing, and interpreting gravitational wave transients in LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA data. The team of scientists and students supported by this award will employ a combination of morphology-independent techniques, template-based approaches, and multi-messenger strategies to optimize the detection of gravitational waves from compact binary mergers and other astrophysical sources. Key objectives include improving software infrastructure to reduce computing time and enhance accessibility, mitigating the impact of noise transients on LIGO science, and participating in the fourth LIGO observing run. The team will also support student-led exploration of novel approaches to detecting gravitational wave transients. By advancing gravitational wave detection methods and contributing to LIGO's scientific priorities, this award will deepen the understanding of black holes, neutron stars, and other extreme cosmic phenomena, while also supporting the development of data analysis techniques and fostering collaboration within the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the broader astrophysics community. 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.