Gravitational waves have the potential to expand astronomy into an entirely new regime, providing information about the dynamics and central engines of astrophysical events that are not available by any other means. Combining gravitational waves with electromagnetic observations through multi-messenger astronomy will maximize the information available and allow scientific discoveries that would not be possible with either alone. Our research focuses on three specific projects. The first of these involves searches for gravitational waves in coincidence with short duration radio pulses. Radio signals are a potentially crucial component of a full program of multi-messenger astronomy in the advanced detector era. In some cases, radio emission may be the only observable signal in the direction of the Earth aside from gravitational waves. Using pulses from currently existing Green Bank Telescope pulsar surveys as external triggers in LIGO/Virgo searches will allow us to probe deeper into our current data and set the stage for future coincident analyses between radio signals and gravitational waves. The other direction in which multi-messenger astronomy can be performed, and our second area of focus, entails the follow-up of potential gravitational wave triggers with instruments looking for other astronomical messengers. Regardless of the method employed to detect a signal, having the best data possible to work with will be critical in successfully detecting gravitational waves. Thus, the third area of focus is in detector characterization, the understanding and mitigation of transient disturbances in the detector that may be confused with astrophysical signals, including developmental studies, as well as well as work maintaining software and validating the calibration of the instruments.
Direct confirmation of Einstein's general theory of relativity through the observation of gravitational waves would be a major accomplishment of 21st century physics, with consequences in gravitational theory as well as astronomy and astrophysics. Validating this observation with coincident emission of photons from the same event would increase our confidence in such an observation. Additionally, a multi-messenger approach to astronomy, "hearing the universe" through gravitational waves as well as seeing it through optical, x-ray or radio astronomy, will allow us to gain a more complete scientific picture of the sky around us, potentially including such phenomena as gamma-ray bursts and supernovae. Since the research is carried out at a primarily undergraduate institution and fully integrates undergraduate researchers, this grant also facilitates the critical task of preparing the next generation of physicists.
