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arXiv · 1802.01193

GW170814: Gravitational wave polarization analysis

Robert C. Hilborn
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Abstract

To determine the polarization character of gravitational waves, we use strain data from the GW170814 binary black hole coalescence event detected by the three LIGO-Virgo observatories, extracting the gravitational wave strain signal amplitude ratios directly from those data. Employing a geometric approach that links those ratios to the gravitational wave polarization properties, we find that there is a range of source sky locations, partially overlapping the LIGI-Virgo 90% credible range of GW170814 source locations, for which vector polarization is consistent with the observed amplitude ratios. A Bayesian inference analysis indicates that the GW170814 data cannot rule out vector polarization for gravitational waves. Confirmation of a vector polarization component of gravitational waves would be a sign of post-general relativity physics.

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Robert C. Hilborn. 2018-02-04. GW170814: Gravitational wave polarization analysis. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382%2Fabe9f4

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