We report the observation of gravitational waves from two compact binary coalescences in LIGO's and Virgo's third observing run with properties consistent with neutron star-black hole (NSBH) binaries. The two events are named GW200105_162426 and GW200115_042309, abbreviated as GW200105 and GW200115; the first was observed by LIGO Livingston and Virgo and the second by all three LIGO-Virgo detectors. The source of GW200105 has component masses -+ 8.9 1.5 1.2 and 130 Gpc yr 69 112 3 1 under the assumption of a broader distribution of component masses.

Signal extraction out of background noise is a common challenge in high-precision physics experiments, where the measurement output is often a continuous data stream. To improve the signalto-noise ratio of the detection, witness sensors are often used to independently measure background noises and subtract them from the main signal. If the noise coupling is linear and stationary, optimal techniques already exist and are routinely implemented in many experiments. However, when the noise coupling is non-stationary, linear techniques often fail or are sub-optimal. Inspired by the properties of the background noise in gravitational wave detectors, this work develops a novel algorithm to efficiently characterize and remove non-stationary noise couplings, provided there exist witnesses of the noise source and of the modulation. In this work, the algorithm is described in its most general formulation, and its efficiency is demonstrated with examples from the data of the Advanced LIGO gravitational-wave observatory, where we could obtain an improvement of the detector gravitational-wave reach without introducing any bias on the source parameter estimation.

Intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) span the approximate mass range 100−105 M⊙, between black holes (BHs) that formed by stellar collapse and the supermassive BHs at the centers of galaxies. Mergers of IMBH binaries are the most energetic gravitational-wave sources accessible by the terrestrial detector network. Searches of the first two observing runs of Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo did not yield any significant IMBH binary signals. In the third observing run (O3), the increased network sensitivity enabled the detection of GW190521, a signal consistent with a binary merger of mass ∼150 M⊙ providing direct evidence of IMBH formation. Here, we report on a dedicated search of O3 data for further IMBH binary mergers, combining both modeled (matched filter) and model-independent search methods. We find some marginal candidates, but none are sufficiently significant to indicate detection of further IMBH mergers. We quantify the sensitivity of the individual search methods and of the combined search using a suite of IMBH binary signals obtained via numerical relativity, including the effects of spins misaligned with the binary orbital axis, and present the resulting upper limits on astrophysical merger rates. Our most stringent limit is for equal mass and aligned spin BH binary of total mass 200 M⊙ and effective aligned spin 0.8 at 0.056 Gpc−3 yr−1 (90% confidence), a factor of 3.5 more constraining than previous LIGO-Virgo limits. We also update the estimated rate of mergers similar to GW190521 to 0.08 Gpc−3 yr−1.

We use 47 gravitational wave sources from the Third LIGO–Virgo–Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector Gravitational Wave Transient Catalog (GWTC–3) to estimate the Hubble parameter H(z), including its current value, the Hubble constant H 0. Each gravitational wave (GW) signal provides the luminosity distance to the source, and we estimate the corresponding redshift using two methods: the redshifted masses and a galaxy catalog. Using the binary black hole (BBH) redshifted masses, we simultaneously infer the source mass distribution and H(z). The source mass distribution displays a peak around 34 M ⊙, followed by a drop-off. Assuming this mass scale does not evolve with the redshift results in a H(z) measurement, yielding H 0 = 68 − 8 + 12 km s − 1 Mpc − 1 (68% credible interval) when combined with the H 0 measurement from GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart. This represents an improvement of 17% with respect to the H 0 estimate from GWTC–1. The second method associates each GW event with its probable host galaxy in the catalog GLADE+, statistically marginalizing over the redshifts of each event’s potential hosts. Assuming a fixed BBH population, we estimate a value of H 0 = 68 − 6 + 8 km s − 1 Mpc − 1 with the galaxy catalog method, an improvement of 42% with respect to our GWTC–1 result and 20% with respect to recent H 0 studies using GWTC–2 events. However, we show that this result is strongly impacted by assumptions about the BBH source mass distribution; the only event which is not strongly impacted by such assumptions (and is thus informative about H 0) is the well-localized event GW190814.

Advanced LIGO and Virgo have so far detected gravitational waves from 10 binary black hole mergers (BBH) and 1 binary neutron star merger (BNS). In the future, we expect the detection of many more marginal sources, since compact binary coalescences detectable by advanced ground-based instruments are roughly distributed uniformly in comoving volume. In this paper we simulate weak signals from compact binary coalescences of various morphologies and optimal network signal-to-noise ratios (henceforth SNRs), and analyze if and to which extent their parameters can be measured by advanced LIGO and Virgo in their third observing run. We show that subthreshold binary neutron stars, with SNRs below 12 (10) yield uncertainties in their sky position larger than 400 (700) deg 2 (90% credible interval). The luminosity distance, which could be used to measure the Hubble constant with standard sirens, has relative uncertainties larger than 40% for BNSs and neutron star black hole mergers. For sources with SNRs below 8, it is not uncommon that the extrinsic parameters, sky position and distance, cannot be measured. Next, we look at the intrinsic parameters, masses and spins. We show that the detector-frame chirp mass can sometimes be measured with uncertainties below 1% even for sources at SNRs of 6, although multimodality is not uncommon and can significantly broaden the posteriors. The effective inspiral spin is best measured for neutron star black hole mergers, for which the uncertainties can be as low as ∼ 0.08 (∼ 0.2) at SNR 12 (8). The uncertainty is higher for systems with comparable component masses or lack of spin precession. * ywh@mit.edu † salvatore.vitale@ligo.org possibility of multimessenger observations. This has been spectacularly shown with the joint detection of GW and EM signals from the BNS source GW170817 [30]. The host of GW170817 was identified, together with radiation in the whole EM spectrum, from radio to γ-rays [30][31][32][33][34]. The science output of this discovery is too rich to be fully described here. We thus only mention a few highlights. GW170817 was used to set constraints on the equation of state of neutron stars [35], search for evidence of p-g modes [36] and put bounds on the component neutron star masses and spins [13]. The EM data confirmed the connection between short gamma-ray bursts and BNS sources, lead to the observation of the kilonova, and yielded insights on the details of the EM emission [37][38][39][40]. Information from both the GW and the EM sides was used to measure the Hubble constant in a way that is independent of the cosmic distance ladder [41]. As more BNSs are detected in the next years, we will be able to gain a more solid understanding of the properties of compact binaries, their progenitors, and the electromagnetic radiation they emit.Given the current detections, it is possible to estimate the local merger rates of binary neutron stars [12] and binary black holes [5,8,15]. Neutron star black hole mergers (NSBHs) are also promising sources, but have not been detected...

We present a directed search for continuous gravitational wave (CW) signals emitted by spinning neutron stars located in the inner parsecs of the Galactic Center (GC). Compelling evidence for the presence of a numerous population of neutron stars has been reported in the literature, turning this region into a very interesting place to look for CWs. In this search, data from the full O3 LIGO-Virgo run in the detector frequency band ½10; 2000 Hz have been used. No significant detection was found and 95% confidence level upper limits on the signal strain amplitude were computed, over the full search band, with the deepest limit of about 7.6 × 10 −26 at ≃142 Hz. These results are significantly more constraining than those reported in previous searches. We use these limits to put constraints on the fiducial neutron star ellipticity and r-mode amplitude. These limits can be also translated into constraints in the black hole mass-boson mass plane for a hypothetical population of boson clouds around spinning black holes located in the GC.

Results are presented for a semicoherent search for continuous gravitational waves from the low-mass xray binary Scorpius X-1, using a hidden Markov model (HMM) to allow for spin wandering. This search improves on previous HMM-based searches of Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory data by including the orbital period in the search template grid, and by analyzing data from the latest (third) observing run. In the frequency range searched, from 60 to 500 Hz, we find no evidence of gravitational radiation. This is the most sensitive search for Scorpius X-1 using a HMM to date. For the most sensitive subband, starting at 256.06 Hz, we report an upper limit on gravitational wave strain (at 95% confidence) of h 95% 0 ¼ 6.16 × 10 −26 , assuming the orbital inclination angle takes its electromagnetically restricted value ι ¼ 44°. The upper limits on gravitational wave strain reported here are on average a factor of ∼3 lower than in the second observing run HMM search. This is the first Scorpius X-1 HMM search with upper limits that reach below the indirect torque-balance limit for certain subbands, assuming ι ¼ 44°.

Machine learning methods are being increasingly adopted in psychological research. Lasso performs variable selection and regularization, and is particularly appealing to psychology researchers because of its connection to linear regression. Researchers conflate properties of linear regression with properties of lasso; however, we demonstrate that this is not the case for models with categorical predictors. Specifically, the coding strategy used for categorical predictors impacts lasso’s performance but not linear regression. Group lasso is an alternative to lasso for models with categorical predictors. We demonstrate the inconsistency of lasso and group lasso models using a real data set: lasso performs different variable selection and has different prediction accuracy depending on the coding strategy, and group lasso performs consistent variable selection but has different prediction accuracy. Additionally, group lasso may include many predictors when very few are needed, leading to overfitting. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we show that categorical variables with one group mean differing from all others (one dominant group) are more likely to be included in the model by group lasso than lasso, leading to overfitting. This effect is strongest when the mean difference is large and there are many categories. Researchers primarily focus on the similarity between linear regression and lasso, but pay little attention to their different properties. This project demonstrates that when using lasso and group lasso, the effect of coding strategies should be considered. We conclude with recommended solutions to this issue and future directions of exploration to improve implementation of machine learning approaches in psychological science.