Abstract
Abstract Advanced LIGO’s second observing run (O2), conducted from 2016 November 30 to 2017 August 25, combined with Advanced Virgo’s first observations in 2017 August, witnessed the birth of gravitational-wave multimessenger astronomy. The first ever gravitational-wave detection from the coalescence of two neutron stars, GW170817, and its gamma-ray counterpart, GRB 170817A, led to an electromagnetic follow-up of the event at an unprecedented scale. Several teams from across the world searched for EM/neutrino counterparts to GW170817, paving the way for the discovery of optical, X-ray, and radio counterparts. In this article, we describe the online identification of gravitational-wave transients and the distribution of gravitational-wave alerts by the LIGO and Virgo collaborations during O2. We also describe the gravitational-wave observables that were sent in the alerts to enable searches for their counterparts. Finally, we give an overview of the online candidate alerts shared with observing partners during O2. Alerts were issued for 14 candidates, 6 of which have been confirmed as gravitational-wave events associated with the merger of black holes or neutron stars. Of the 14 alerts, 8 were issued less than an hour after data acquisition.
Highlights
Gravitational-wave (GW) multimessenger astronomy provides a unique view of the cosmos
The O2 follow-up campaign of GW candidate events was a comprehensive effort of collaborating groups in astronomy and astroparticle physics
This effort was enabled by GW alerts distributed by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo collaborations
Summary
See page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/physics_astronomy_pubs. Recommended Citation Abbott, B., Abbott, R., Abbott, T., Abraham, S., Acernese, F., Ackley, K., Adams, C., Adhikari, R., Adya, V., Affeldt, C., Agathos, M., Agatsuma, K., Aggarwal, N., Aguiar, O., Aiello, L., Ain, A., Ajith, P., Allen, G., Allocca, A., Aloy, M., Altin, P., Amato, A., Ananyeva, A., Anderson, S., Anderson, W., Angelova, S., Antier, S., Appert, S., Arai, K., Araya, M., Areeda, J., Arène, M., & Arnaud, N. Università di Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy Trinity University, San Antonio, TX 78212, USA Van Swinderen Institute for Particle Physics and Gravity, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands Department of Physics, University of Texas, Austin, TX78712, USA Received 2019 January 28; revised 2019 February 18; accepted 2019 February 18; published 2019 April 25.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
