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Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole MergerOn 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 x 10(exp -21). It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ring down 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/-4) Mass compared to the sun, and 29(+4/-4) Mass compared to the sun, and the final black hole mass is 62(+4/-4) Mass compared to the sun, with 3.0(+0.5/-0.5)sq c 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.
Document ID
20170003208
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Abbott, B. P.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Abbott, R.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Abbott, T. D.
(Louisiana State Univ. Baton Rouge, LA, United States)
Abernathy, M. R.
(California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Acernese, F.
(Universita degli Studi di Salerno Italy)
Ackley, K.
(Florida Univ. Gainesville, FL, United States)
Adams, C.
(LIGO Livingston Observatory Livingston, LA, United States)
Adams, T.
(Savoie Univ. France)
Addesso, P.
(Universita degli Studi di Salerno Italy)
Camp, Jordan B.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Singer, L. P.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
April 7, 2017
Publication Date
February 11, 2016
Publication Information
Publication: Physical Review Letters
Publisher: American Physical Society
Volume: 116
Issue: 6
ISSN: 0031-9007
e-ISSN: 1079-7114
Subject Category
Numerical Analysis
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC-E-DAA-TN41240
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
gravitational waves
binary
merger
black hole
observation

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