Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914

The Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Collaboration, The BOOTES Collaboration, The Dark Energy Survey and the Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaborations, The Fermi GBM Collaboration, the GRAvitational Wave Inaf TeAm (GRAWITA), The INTEGRAL Collaboration, The Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) Collaboration, The InterPlanetary Network, The J-GEM Collaboration, The La Silla – QUEST Survey, The Liverpool Telescope Collaboration, The Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) Collaboration, The MASTER Collaboration, The MAXI Collaboration, The Murchison Wide-field Array (MWA) Collaboration, The Pan-STARRS Collaboration, The PESSTO Collaboration, The Pi of the Sky Collaboration, The SkyMapper Collaboration, The Swift CollaborationThe TAROT, Zadko, Algerian National Observatory, and C2PU Collaboration, The TOROS Collaboration, The VISTA Collaboration, The LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the Virgo Collaboration

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Abstract

A gravitational-wave (GW) transient was identified in data recorded by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors on 2015 September 14. The event, initially designated G184098 and later given the name GW150914, is described in detail elsewhere. By prior arrangement, preliminary estimates of the time, significance, and sky location of the event were shared with 63 teams of observers covering radio, optical, near-infrared, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths with ground- and space-based facilities. In this Letter we describe the low-latency analysis of the GW data and present the sky localization of the first observed compact binary merger. We summarize the follow-up observations reported by 25 teams via private Gamma-ray Coordinates Network circulars, giving an overview of the participating facilities, the GW sky localization coverage, the timeline, and depth of the observations. As this event turned out to be a binary black hole merger, there is little expectation of a detectable electromagnetic (EM) signature. Nevertheless, this first broadband campaign to search for a counterpart of an Advanced LIGO source represents a milestone and highlights the broad capabilities of the transient astronomy community and the observing strategies that have been developed to pursue neutron star binary merger events. Detailed investigations of the EM data and results of the EM follow-up campaign are being disseminated in papers by the individual teams.

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL13
Number of pages8
JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume826
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 20 Jul 2016

Keywords

  • gravitational waves
  • methods: observational

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