The characterization of Virgo data and its impact on gravitational-wave searches.

Document #:

LIGO-P1200005-v14

Document type:

P - Publications

Abstract:

Between 2007 and 2010 Virgo collected data in coincidence with the LIGO and GEO gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. These data have been searched for GWs emitted by cataclysmic phenomena in the universe, by non-axisymmetric rotating neutron stars or from a stochastic background in the frequency band of the detectors. The sensitivity of GW searches is limited by noise produced by the detector or its environment. It is therefore crucial to characterize the various noise sources in a GW detector. This paper reviews the Virgo detector noise sources, noise propagation, and conversion mechanisms which were identified in the three first Virgo observing runs. In many cases, these investigations allowed us to mitigate noise sources in the detector, or to selectively flag noise events and discard them from the data. We present examples from the joint LIGO-GEO-Virgo GW searches to show how well noise transients and narrow spectral lines have been identified and excluded from the Virgo data. We also discuss how detector characterization can improve the astrophysical reach of gravitational-wave searches.

Files in Document:

• paper.pdf (file is not accessible)

Other Files:

• All the figures in the PNG format (PNGs.tgz, file is not accessible)
• Figure7: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on VSR1 Omega triggers (Efficiencies) (VSR1_Efficiencies.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure7: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on VSR1 Omega triggers (SNR distribution) (VSR1_SNR.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure7: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on VSR2 Omega triggers (Efficiencies) (VSR2_Efficiencies.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure7: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on VSR2 Omega triggers (SNR distribution) (VSR2_SNR.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure7: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on VSR3 Omega triggers (Efficiencies) (VSR3_Efficiencies.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure7: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on VSR3 Omega triggers (SNR distribution) (VSR3_SNR.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure8: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on CBC double coincident triggers (SNR distribution) (CBC_SNR_2.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure8: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on CBC double coincident triggers (reweighted SNR distribution) (CBC_WSNR_2.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure8: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on CBC triple coincident triggers (SNR distribution) (CBC_SNR_3.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure8: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on CBC triple coincident triggers (reweighted SNR distribution) (CBC_WSNR_3.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure9: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on Burst double coincident-time triggers (SNR distribution) (cWB_SNR_2.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure9: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on Burst double coincident-time triggers (correlated amplitude distribution) (cWB_CORAMP_2.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure9: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on Burst triple coincident-time triggers (SNR distribution) (cWB_SNR_3.txt, file is not accessible)
• Figure9: Impact of Virgo DQ flags on Burst triple coincident-time triggers (correlated amplitude distribution) (cWB_CORAMP_3.txt, file is not accessible)

Topics:

• Continuous Wave
• Detector
• Compact Binaries
• Stochastic
• Detector Characterization
• GW Bursts
• Data quality / vetoes

Author Groups:

• LVC

Keywords:

Virgo DQ veto characterization noise line