Upper Limits on the Stochastic Gravitational-Wave Background from Advanced LIGO's First Observing Run
Abbott, B. P. Mikhailov, Eugeniy E. Rew, H. Zhang, M.
Abbott, B. P.
Mikhailov, Eugeniy E.
Rew, H.
Zhang, M.
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 Omega(0) < 1.7 x 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 similar to 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.
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2017-03-24
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Physics
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https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.121101