The recent world-wide astronomy observing campaign of the merger of two neutron stars using light, or electromagnetic (EM) radiation, along with gravitational waves (GW), an event called GW 170817, threw wide open the multi-messenger window on the universe, producing large advances in knowledge about many fields of physics and astronomy. But at least one aspect of such a merger is yet to be explored by observations: the interaction of the magnetospheres, or regions of space affected by magnetic fields, of the two neutron stars (NS), contemporaneous with, or just prior to the release of the most intense gravitational waves and the merger. Various theoretical models suggest that a bright, prompt, low-frequency radio pulse could be emitted at that time. A research collaboration between Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech; VT) and the State University of New York College at Old Westbury will conduct a triggered search for fast radio transients coincident with GW signals from binary NS mergers detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) and Virgo collaboration. The first station of the Long Wavelength Array (LWA1) radio telescope will be used in this work. A graduate student at Virginia Tech and undergraduate students at both institutions will be involved in this research. At SUNY Old Westbury, where the student body predominantly consists of members of groups underrepresented in astronomy, a particular effort will be made to involve students from these groups in the research program.
Observing a prompt radio pulse in near-coincidence with a GW event (or setting limits on its brightness) could pin down details of the environmental physics of the merger which can play a role in understanding the subsequent accretion, relativistic jet, gamma-ray burst, and succeeding electromagnetic emission. LIGO will start the O4 science run in 2021, during the project period. The latency for GW notification will be low enough (3 minutes) to enable LWA1?s automatic response system to begin timely observations. The research team has extensive experience with dispersed single-pulse detection, using LWA1. So they are well-positioned to observe any prompt low-frequency pulse. The researchers will communicate their observations and analysis of any prompt pulse (or upper limit) as quickly as possible through the LIGO-Virgo OpenLVEM Forum, probably within about a day of an event. This project advances the goals of the NSF Windows on the Universe Big Idea.
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.
