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Directed Searches for Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars in Binary Systems

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Directed Searches for Continuous Gravitational Waves from Spinning Neutron Stars in Binary Systems Directed searches for continuous gravitational waves from spinning neutron stars in binary systems by Grant David Meadors A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Physics) in The University of Michigan 2013 Doctoral Committee: Professor John Keith Riles, Chair Professor Fred Adams Professor Timothy McKay Professor Stephen Rand Professor Nuria Calvet Research Scientist Harold Richard Gustafson c Grant David Meadors 2013 All Rights Reserved (space for a fancy dedication, such as the following) To the tree of Life, which took stardust and evolved into us. (Maybe in Latin, or Greek?) Pro arbore Vitae, ex nube stellarum ad nos evolvit. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This author should give thanks far beyond a simple page. It is too soon to write something so important. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION .......................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................. iii LIST OF FIGURES ...................................... vii CHAPTER I. Introduction ....................................... 1 1.1 Gravitational waves in astrophysics . ....... 1 1.1.1 Cosmic sources of gravitational waves . ... 2 1.1.2 History from general relativity . ... 6 1.1.3 Contrast with electromagnetic and particle astronomy ....... 6 1.2 Generalrelativity ............................... 7 1.2.1 Symmetry and action principles . 8 1.2.2 Derivation of field equations . 8 1.2.3 Radiation from quadrupoles . 8 1.3 Astrophysicalestimates . .... 8 1.3.1 Sources: burst, continuous, inspiral and stochastic ......... 8 1.3.2 Continuous waves from neutron stars . 9 1.4 Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatories ............ 9 1.4.1 From Weber bars to interferometry . 9 1.4.2 Gravitational wave interferometry methods . ..... 9 1.4.3 Advanced observatories and beyond . 11 1.4.4 Worldwide network . 11 1.5 Summary...................................... 11 II. Feedforward: Auxiliary MICH-PRC Subtraction ................ 12 2.1 Introduction .................................... 12 2.2 Description of the feedforward method . ...... 15 2.2.1 Auxiliary noise coherence at sensitive frequencies . ......... 19 2.2.2 Estimatingfilters ............................ 22 2.3 Feedforward in-loop and alternative program methods . ........... 25 2.3.1 Manually designed rational filtering in-loop . ...... 25 2.3.2 Vector-fittedfilterfunctions . 29 2.3.3 Wienerfilters .............................. 29 2.3.4 Prospects for almost-real-time filtering . ..... 30 2.4 Safeguardandvetomethods . 31 2.4.1 Runtime safeguards . 31 2.4.2 Post-processing safeguards . 32 2.5 Feedforward results and discussion: MICH and PRC channels ........ 34 2.5.1 Filter fitting across science segments . 35 iv 2.5.2 Post-processing diagnostics . 39 2.5.3 Feedforward benefits and potential . 44 2.6 Conclusion ..................................... 44 III. Squeezing: Quantum Vacuum Phase Noise .................... 49 3.1 Squeezingtheory................................. 49 3.1.1 Quantum shot noise and radiation pressure . 49 3.1.2 Problems with lasers: thermal compensation . 49 3.1.3 Squeezing filter cavities against alternatives . ........ 49 3.2 LIGO Hanford Observatory quantum vacuum squeezing . ........ 49 3.2.1 Collaboration and contributions . 49 3.2.2 Success and Advanced LIGO prospects . 51 IV. TwoSpect: Search for Scorpius X-1 ......................... 52 4.1 Neutron stars in binary systems . 52 4.1.1 Binary spin-up and detectable lifetime . 52 4.1.2 Detectionrateprojections . 52 4.2 TwoSpectall-skysearches . 52 4.2.1 Two spectra: a double Fourier transform . 52 4.2.2 Infering neutron stars with companions . 52 4.3 Scorpius X-1 and results from Directed TwoSpect . ........ 53 V. Directed TwoSpect: Neutron Star Binaries ................... 54 5.1 DirectedTwoSpect ................................ 54 5.1.1 Target, directed and all-sky search sensitivity . ........ 54 5.1.2 Enhancements enabled by directed searching . 54 5.2 QuantifyingDirectedness . 54 VI. Exhibit: World Science Festival ........................... 55 6.1 Prototypes: travelling kiosks and the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum . 55 6.2 World Science Festival interferometer manufacture . ............ 55 6.2.1 Laser, optics and display . 55 6.2.2 Aluminum baseboard . 55 6.2.3 Plexiglassenclosure. 55 6.3 Exhibitions: New York City, Portsmouth, Fort Wayne . ........ 55 6.3.1 Exhibitoverview ............................ 55 6.3.2 World Science Festival 2010 . 56 6.3.3 Portsmouth and Fort Wayne . 56 6.4 FutureLIGOoutreach .............................. 56 VII. Conclusion ........................................ 57 7.1 Cyclesofscience................................. 57 7.1.1 Improvements to observatories . 57 7.1.2 Understanding instruments . 57 7.1.3 Refiningdata .............................. 57 7.1.4 Searching deep-space . 57 7.1.5 Reaching out, looking up . 57 7.2 Scientific merit: filtering and analysis . ........ 57 7.2.1 Feedforward improvement to LIGO data . 58 v 7.2.2 TwoSpect directed search for neutron stars in binary systems . 58 7.3 Enteringtheadvanceddetectorera . 58 7.4 Visionofadarksky................................ 58 BIBLIOGRAPHY ........................................ 59 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Gravitational wave strain h(t) is derived from differential arm motion (DARM), read-out from a photodio 2.2 Sample coherence measurements between Hoft and auxiliary control channels for LIGO Hanford Observatory 2.3 Sample transfer function measurements (amplitude and phase) from LIGO Hanford Observatory, H1: 2010 2.4 Sample Bode plots of fitted ZPK filter functions (amplitude and phase) for multiple 1024 s windows in a science 2.5 Sample subtracted spectra for one window, representing the applied feedforward corrections for each channel 2.6 Calibration line test: before-feedforward mean of the 393.1 Hz line and two neighboring FFT bins was 1.3082 2.7 Time-domain plot of diagnostic channels from a burst injection: the simultaneous envelope increase after 1.8 2.8 Cross-correlation pairwise between pre-, post-feedforward, and injection data: the extrema and zero-crossings 2.9 Feedforward subtraction pipeline to read in Hoft (calibrated DARM), MICH, PRC, and write out AMPS 2.10 A depiction of windowing for one cluster job, containing one LIGO science segment, illustrates windowing 2.11 Exemplar of a typical case, +1.1 Mpc (5.9% inspiral range) (GPS time 953164819 to 953165839, 2010 Mar 2.12 Best improvement seen in S6 for H1, +4.4 Mpc (29% inspiral range) (GPS 955187679 to 955188191, 2010 2.13 Harmonic mean, 200 jobs from GPS second 931.0 106 (2009 July 07) to 932.8 106 (2009 July 28): (befor 2.14 Inspiral range vs time for Science Run 6 (starting× 2009 July 07) before GPS time× 9.33e8 (2009 July 30): LIGO 2.15 Inspiral range fractional gain vs time for Science Run 6 (starting 2009 July 07) before GPS time 9.33e8 (2009 2.16 Screenshot of diagnostic web pages, indexed by window. ............... 47 vii CHAPTER I Introduction 1.1 Gravitational waves in astrophysics Space’s metric echoes with gravitational waves. Light told the tale of the cosmos for most of history; now, the earliest epochs and secret reaches of stars might be seen in light interfering after travels transformed by gravity. General Relativity and ensuing theories of gravitation posit that accelerating quadropolar masses will radiate, much as accelerating dipolar charges do electromagnetically. In those waves we might see black holes and neutron stars colliding, supernova, the dawn of the Big Bang and rotating neutron stars – and the potential for unanticipated insights, into other objects or law of gravity, is too tantalazing to ignore. Hulse and Taylor observed a neutron star in a binary system, PSR 1913+16, with an orbit accelerating just as gravitational radiation would entail; kilometer-scale interferometers were build at the end of the last millenium to look. Laser light in these instruments travels orthogonal paths and is reflected back; shifts in the combined pattern are scrutinized for indications that gravitational waves stretched space itself. As yet, no direct detections are known. This thesis describes efforts to make that search more sensitive with quantum optics at the observatories, by filtering the data of noise and by refining a search for the promising candidate source of neutrons stars in binary systems. 1 2 Astronomy has grown from humanity’s first glimpses into the night sky with the unaided eye. With every new instrument, from Galileo’s telescope through radio an- tennae and neutrino detectors, our understanding of the cosmos has grown. Gravity pervades the universe like no other force: we must hear its tale. We know some of what to expect: astronomers have predictions for four categories of cosmic sources. We know how it would be emitted: Einstein’s general relativity predicts the inten- sity, speed and polarization of gravitational waves. Most recently, LIGO, VIRGO, GEO600 and soon KAGRA have built gravitational wave antennae that stand on the threshold of detection. This thesis will focus on those antennae. Their sensitivity can be honed by tweaking Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle with quantum optical squeezing, and even improved post-facto by feedforward filtering of recorded servo data. Neutrons stars in low-mass X-ray binary systems would live astronomically long lives, earning the attention of a dedicated Fourier-domain frequentist search. Each project is an element of a field that promises to make audible the echoes of the metric of space. 1.1.1 Cosmic sources of gravitational waves
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