Abstract

Abstract We present the results of the search for gravitational waves (GWs) associated with γ-ray bursts detected during the first observing run of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). We find no evidence of a GW signal for any of the 41 γ-ray bursts for which LIGO data are available with sufficient duration. For all γ-ray bursts, we place lower bounds on the distance to the source using the optimistic assumption that GWs with an energy of were emitted within the – Hz band, and we find a median 90% confidence limit of 71 Mpc at 150 Hz. For the subset of 19 short/hard γ-ray bursts, we place lower bounds on distance with a median 90% confidence limit of 90 Mpc for binary neutron star (BNS) coalescences, and 150 and 139 Mpc for neutron star–black hole coalescences with spins aligned to the orbital angular momentum and in a generic configuration, respectively. These are the highest distance limits ever achieved by GW searches. We also discuss in detail the results of the search for GWs associated with GRB 150906B, an event that was localized by the InterPlanetary Network near the local galaxy NGC 3313, which is at a luminosity distance of Mpc (z = 0.0124). Assuming the γ-ray emission is beamed with a jet half-opening angle , we exclude a BNS and a neutron star–black hole in NGC 3313 as the progenitor of this event with confidence >99%. Further, we exclude such progenitors up to a distance of 102 Mpc and 170 Mpc, respectively.

Highlights

  • Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are among the most energetic astrophysical events observed in the electromagnetic spectrum.They are transient flashes of γ-radiation and are broadly classified as being long or short, depending on their duration and spectral hardness, mainly on the basis of data from theBurst and Transient Source Experiment on board the ComptonGamma-Ray Observatory (Nakar 2007; Berger 2014)

  • For GRBs with no event in the on-source, we provide an upper bound on the p-value equal to 1 and a lower bound determined by counting the fraction of background trials that yield no event: this explains the feature in the top right corner of the top panel

  • We analyzed a total of 31 GRBs using the generic event in the on-source, we provide an upper bound on the p-value equal to 1 and a lower bound determined by counting the fraction of background trials that yield no event: this explains the feature in the top right corner of the top panel

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Summary

Introduction

Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are among the most energetic astrophysical events observed in the electromagnetic spectrum.They are transient flashes of γ-radiation and are broadly classified as being long or short, depending on their duration and spectral hardness, mainly on the basis of data from theBurst and Transient Source Experiment on board the ComptonGamma-Ray Observatory (Nakar 2007; Berger 2014). Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are among the most energetic astrophysical events observed in the electromagnetic spectrum They are transient flashes of γ-radiation and are broadly classified as being long or short, depending on their duration and spectral hardness, mainly on the basis of data from the. GRBs have a duration that is greater than ∼2 s and a softer spectrum; their origin is related to the core collapse of rapidly rotating massive stars (Woosley & Bloom 2006; Mösta et al.2015), a hypothesis supported by observations of associated core-collapse supernovae (Hjorth & Bloom 2011). Their progenitors are widely thought to be coalescing binary neutron star (BNS) or neutron star (NS)–

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