Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger

B. P. Abbott; K. Gill; B. Hughey; M, J. Szczepańczyk; M. Zanolin

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102

Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger

B. P. Abbott, K. Gill, B. Hughey, M, J. Szczepańczyk, M. Zanolin

Physics & Astronomy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

<p> On September 14, 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational-wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational-wave strain of 1.0×10−21. It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown of the resulting single black hole. The signal was observed with a matched-filter signal-to-noise ratio of 24 and a false alarm rate estimated to be less than 1 event per 203 000 years, equivalent to a significance greater than 5.1 {\sigma}. The source lies at a luminosity distance of 410+160−180 Mpc corresponding to a redshift z=0.09+0.03−0.04. In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are 36+5−4M&odot; and 29+4−4M&odot;, and the final black hole mass is 62+4−4M&odot;, with 3.0+0.5−0.5M&odot;c2 radiated in gravitational waves. All uncertainties define 90% credible intervals.These observations demonstrate the existence of binary stellar-mass black hole systems. This is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and the first observation of a binary black hole merger.</p>

Original language	American English
Journal	Physical Review Letters
Volume	116
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102
State	Published - Feb 12 2016

Keywords

LIGO
gravitational waves

Disciplines

Astrophysics and Astronomy
Cosmology, Relativity, and Gravity
Physical Sciences and Mathematics

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title = "Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger",

abstract = " On September 14, 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational-wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational-wave strain of 1.0×10−21. It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown of the resulting single black hole. The signal was observed with a matched-filter signal-to-noise ratio of 24 and a false alarm rate estimated to be less than 1 event per 203 000 years, equivalent to a significance greater than 5.1 {\sigma}. The source lies at a luminosity distance of 410+160−180 Mpc corresponding to a redshift z=0.09+0.03−0.04. In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are 36+5−4M&odot; and 29+4−4M&odot;, and the final black hole mass is 62+4−4M&odot;, with 3.0+0.5−0.5M&odot;c2 radiated in gravitational waves. All uncertainties define 90% credible intervals.These observations demonstrate the existence of binary stellar-mass black hole systems. This is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and the first observation of a binary black hole merger.",

keywords = "LIGO, gravitational waves",

author = "Abbott, {B. P.} and K. Gill and B. Hughey and Szczepa{\'n}czyk, {M, J.} and M. Zanolin",

year = "2016",

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doi = "10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102",

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journal = "Physical Review Letters",

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AU - Abbott, B. P.

AU - Gill, K.

AU - Hughey, B.

AU - Szczepańczyk, M, J.

AU - Zanolin, M.

PY - 2016/2/12

Y1 - 2016/2/12

N2 - On September 14, 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational-wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational-wave strain of 1.0×10−21. It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown of the resulting single black hole. The signal was observed with a matched-filter signal-to-noise ratio of 24 and a false alarm rate estimated to be less than 1 event per 203 000 years, equivalent to a significance greater than 5.1 {\sigma}. The source lies at a luminosity distance of 410+160−180 Mpc corresponding to a redshift z=0.09+0.03−0.04. In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are 36+5−4M&odot; and 29+4−4M&odot;, and the final black hole mass is 62+4−4M&odot;, with 3.0+0.5−0.5M&odot;c2 radiated in gravitational waves. All uncertainties define 90% credible intervals.These observations demonstrate the existence of binary stellar-mass black hole systems. This is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and the first observation of a binary black hole merger.

AB - On September 14, 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational-wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational-wave strain of 1.0×10−21. It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown of the resulting single black hole. The signal was observed with a matched-filter signal-to-noise ratio of 24 and a false alarm rate estimated to be less than 1 event per 203 000 years, equivalent to a significance greater than 5.1 {\sigma}. The source lies at a luminosity distance of 410+160−180 Mpc corresponding to a redshift z=0.09+0.03−0.04. In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are 36+5−4M&odot; and 29+4−4M&odot;, and the final black hole mass is 62+4−4M&odot;, with 3.0+0.5−0.5M&odot;c2 radiated in gravitational waves. All uncertainties define 90% credible intervals.These observations demonstrate the existence of binary stellar-mass black hole systems. This is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and the first observation of a binary black hole merger.

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KW - gravitational waves

UR - https://commons.erau.edu/publication/279

U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102

DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102

M3 - Article

SN - 1079-7114

VL - 116

JO - Physical Review Letters

JF - Physical Review Letters

ER -

Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger

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