Abstract
A wide variety of astrophysical and cosmological sources are expected to contribute to a stochastic gravitational-wave background. Following the observations of GW150914 and GW151226, the rate and mass of coalescing binary black holes appear to be greater than many previous expectations. As a result, the stochastic background from unresolved compact binary coalescences is expected to be particularly loud. We perform a search for the isotropic stochastic gravitational-wave background using data from Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory's (aLIGO) first observing run. The data display no evidence of a stochastic gravitational-wave signal. We constrain the dimensionless energy density of gravitational waves to be Ω0<1.7×10-7 with 95% confidence, assuming a flat energy density spectrum in the most sensitive part of the LIGO band (20-86 Hz). This is a factor of ∼33 times more sensitive than previous measurements. We also constrain arbitrary power-law spectra. Finally, we investigate the implications of this search for the background of binary black holes using an astrophysical model for the background.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 121101 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 118 |
Issue number | 12 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 24 Mar 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2017 American Physical Society. us.
Funding
Funders | Funder number |
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Not added | ST/N000064/1, ST/J000361/1 |
National Science Foundation | 1607709, 1104371, 1308527, 1505629, 1505308, 1505779, 1607585, 1607673, 1506497, 1608922, 1404139, 1506360, 1608423 |
Science and Technology Facilities Council | ST/N00003X/1, ST/J000019/1, ST/P000258/1, ST/H002006/1, ST/L000954/1, ST/M005844/1, PP/F001118/1, ST/J000345/1, PP/F00110X/1, ST/I000887/1, ST/J000302/1, 1653071, ST/N000072/1, ST/N005481/1, ST/I006277/1, ST/L000911/1, ST/N005422/1, ST/N005716/1, PPA/G/S/2002/00652, ST/N005406/1, Gravitational Waves, ST/G504284/1, ST/K000845/1, ST/I006285/1, ST/L003465/1, ST/I006242/1, 1654298, PP/F001096/1, ST/M006735/1, ST/I006269/1, ST/N000080/1, ST/I001085/1, ST/L000946/1, ST/N000633/1, ST/I001026/1, ST/J00166X/1, ST/N005430/1 |