Lead Chief Investigator

Susan M Scott Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Australian National University

Project Title

LIGO Gravitational Wave Data Analysis

Brief Description for General Publications

Gravitational waves (GWs) are propagating disturbances in space-time, predicted by Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity. Produced by the most dense objects and violent cataclysmic events in the Universe, routine observations of GWs would provide the first direct test for General Relativity in the strong (non-linear) gravity regime, and open a new and exciting astrophysical window. Globally, the detection of GWs is considered a major goal in fundamental physics. To detect the tiny GW amplitudes expected, three highly sensitive interferometers are operated by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration, which we are a part of. Yet the detection of GWs remains largely a signal processing problem, requiring highly sophisticated pipelines and analysis techniques. Towards this aim, we produce and validate analysis pipelines and search codes, both with real and simulated data, requiring manipulation of datasets approaching the Tb scale. This requires the use of the NCI’s National Facility.