Gravitational-wave (GW) searches using LIGO's landmark fifth and sixth science runs have led to major observational results, including astrophysical constraints that have begun to surpass those from electromagnetic or particle observations. Preparations for the start of the advanced detector era are now eagerly underway, with LIGO, Virgo and GEO600 in a transition period and new interferometers under construction. These advanced detectors, expected to come on-line starting around 2015, will be ~10 times more sensitive, searching a volume of the Universe ~1000 times larger than at present, virtually guaranteeing the first detection of GWs. This award supports research in areas that are relevant to LIGO data analysis during this transition period, and that will build the foundation for techniques required in the advanced detector era: (i) searches for a cosmological or astrophysical GW background, (ii) statistical searches for GWs from gamma-ray bursts, (iii) developing new methods to search for GWs from supernovae, and (iv) detector characterization.
The first project will improve our sensitivity to GW backgrounds using the most recent data from both the LIGO and Virgo detectors. The second will develop methods to optimally use the information contained in the electromagnetic or particle signature of an astrophysical event (such as gamma-ray data from NASA missions like Swift and Fermi) in GW searches. The third will explore methods to enhance the sensitivity of searches involving GWs from weak sources like supernovae, and the fourth will look into the detector data to characterize low-frequency non-stationary noise and track possible instrumental artefacts as well. The graduate students supported by this grant will receive direct training in GW data analysis, thus adding to the growing community of researchers in this field. Since the University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB) is an Hispanic serving institution, the research activities will expose students who are traditionally under-represented in the areas of science and technology to forefront scientific research. On-going major outreach programs at UTB will be able to leverage this research, creating awareness among high-school students about exciting scientific projects such as LIGO.
