Abstract
Since the early stages of operation of ground-based gravitational-wave interferometers, careful monitoring of these detectors has been an important component of their successful operation and observations. Characterization of gravitational-wave detectors blends computational and instrumental methods of investigating the detector performance. These efforts focus both on identifying ways to improve detector sensitivity for future observations and understand the non-idealized features in data that has already been recorded. Alongside a focus on the detectors themselves, detector characterization includes careful studies of how astrophysical analyses are affected by different data quality issues. This article presents an overview of the multifaceted aspects of the characterization of interferometric gravitational-wave detectors, including investigations of instrumental performance, characterization of interferometer data quality, and the identification and mitigation of data quality issues that impact analysis of gravitational-wave events. Looking forward, we discuss efforts to adapt current detector characterization methods to meet the changing needs of gravitational-wave astronomy.
Highlights
Within the past decade, advances in the design of gravitational-wave interferometers have allowed the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors to reach the required sensitivity to detect gravitational waves from astrophysical sources [1,2]
Advances in the design of gravitational-wave interferometers have allowed the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors to reach the required sensitivity to detect gravitational waves from astrophysical sources [1,2]. These observations [3–7] of the cataclysmic mergers of massive compact objects allowed for the discovery of a new population of black holes [8], insights into the nuclear equation of state [9], precision tests of general relativity [10], and the identification of compact objects that are not predicted to form from stellar evolution [11,12]
These historic discoveries in astrophysics have required measurements of gravitationalwave strains of less than 10−21 [3]. To achieve these levels of sensitivity, gravitational-wave detectors rely on a wide array of technologies designed to minimize the sensitivity of the detectors to non-astrophysical sources of noise
Summary
Advances in the design of gravitational-wave interferometers have allowed the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors to reach the required sensitivity to detect gravitational waves from astrophysical sources [1,2] These observations [3–7] of the cataclysmic mergers of massive compact objects allowed for the discovery of a new population of black holes [8], insights into the nuclear equation of state [9], precision tests of general relativity [10], and the identification of compact objects that are not predicted to form from stellar evolution [11,12]. Addressing the presence of noise in the instruments is a crucial aspect of gravitationalwave astrophysics, both for the continual improvement of the detectors themselves and for ensuring appropriate treatment of the noise in the data analyses This area of research, focusing on diagnosing and mitigating instrumental problems that impact the quality of recorded gravitational-wave strain data, is known as “detector characterization”.
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