arXiv subjects

Matteo Di Giovanni

Publications and source records attributed to Matteo Di Giovanni.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Environmental Noise Challenges for the Einstein Telescope - A Review

Einstein Telescope (ET) will be a next-generation ground based interferometric gravitational-wave detector designed to explore the Universe to an unprecedented depth and detail. With its 10-15 km long arms, underground infrastructure, and advanced cryogenic technologies to suppress thermal noise, ET aims at achieving a sensitivity up to eight orders of magnitude better than current detectors such as Virgo, LIGO, and KAGRA. The coverage of the low-frequency band, starting at 2 Hz, will enable the observation of earlier inspiral phases of compact binary coalescences, enhancing early-warning capabilities and improving multi-messenger follow-up. However, this increased sensitivity also implies a higher susceptibility to environmental disturbances, particularly in the 2-10 Hz range where anthropogenic, seismic and infrastructural noise noise are most relevant. Therefore, understanding and mitigating environmental contributions are essential to fully exploit the scientific potential of ET. This chapter reviews the ongoing studies on environmental noise for ET, summarizes the main challenges related to site characterization and infrastructure design and outlines the strategies currently under development to ensure optimal detector performance.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

The impact of seasonality over the sensitivity of Einstein Telescope and the SNR of CBC signals at the Sardinia candidate site

This work presents the first investigation of the impact of seasonal variations in seismic noise on the low-frequency performance of the Einstein Telescope (ET) at the Sardinia candidate site, focusing on their effect on compact binary coalescence signals. Using seismic data collected between 2022 and 2025 from a deep borehole, we characterize the seasonal variability of the seismic noise and identify the months of July and December as representative best- and worst-case conditions. The measured seismic spectra are used to estimate the Newtonian noise contribution in the 2--10 Hz frequency range and to derive corresponding modifications to the ET design sensitivity. These sensitivity curves are then used in simulations of binary neutron star and intermediate-mass black hole signals in the triangular ET configuration to quantify the resulting changes in signal-to-noise ratio. We find that median seasonal conditions produce only minor changes in the expected SNR, with deviations from the design case typically below 2$\%$. Larger effects are found for the upper tail of the December noise distribution, where the average SNR loss reaches approximately 20--25$\%$. These results indicate that seasonal seismic variability at the Sardinia candidate site has a limited impact on the low-frequency performance of ET under typical conditions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2026

Impact of coalescence signals on the search for continuous gravitational waves with Einstein Telescope

The current network of gravitational wave detectors has already revealed hundreds of compact binary coalescences (CBCs), including binary neutron stars, binary black holes, and black hole-neutron star systems. As detector sensitivity improves, the superposition of these signals is expected to form an astrophysical background that becomes increasingly relevant for future observatories. In third generation detectors, such as the Einstein Telescope (ET), this background will be most prominent at low frequencies, potentially affecting the search for continuous gravitational waves (CWs) from spinning neutron stars. In this work, we evaluate the impact of the CBC background on CW detection using the Frequency-Hough pipeline, with a focus on the low-frequency performance in ET sensitivity conditions. Through realistic simulations of the unresolved CBC background, we find that it acts as an additional noise source, most strongly affecting the detection of CW signals around 7 Hz, worsening the FH sensitivity by about 7-10%.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Gravitational wave experiments: achievements and plans

Gravitational wave (GW) experiments have transformed our understanding of the Universe by enabling direct observations of compact object mergers and other astrophysical phenomena. This chapter reviews the concepts of GW detectors, such as LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA, and describes their operating principles, data acquisition and analysis techniques, and some of the methods used to extract source properties. The scientific impact of GW observations is discussed as well, including contributions to astrophysics, tests of general relativity, and cosmology. We also examine the role of multimessenger astronomy and the complementarity between different GW detectors and with other astroparticle experiments. Finally, we outline future prospects with next-generation detectors, like the Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer, and space-based missions.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

A directed continuous-wave search from neutron stars in binary systems with the five-vector resampling technique

Continuous gravitational-wave signals (CWs), which are typically emitted by rapidly rotating neutron stars with non-axisymmetric deformations, represent particularly intriguing targets for the Advanced LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detectors. These detectors operate within sensitivity bands that encompass more than half of the known pulsars in our galaxy existing in binary systems, which are the targeted sources of this paper. However, the detection of these faint signals is especially challenged by the Doppler modulation due to the source's orbital motion, typically described by five Keplerian parameters, which must be determined with high precision to effectively detect the signal. This modulation spreads the signal across multiple frequency bins, resulting in a notable reduction of signal-to-noise ratio and potentially hindering signal detection. To overcome this issue, a robust five-vector resampling data-analysis algorithm has been developed to conduct thorough directed/narrowband CW searches at an affordable computational cost. We employ this methodology for the first time to search for CWs from Scorpius X-1, using publicly available data from the third observing run of the Advanced LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detectors. No statistically significant CW signals can be claimed. Hence, we proceeded setting 95% confidence-level upper limits in selected frequency bands and orbital parameter ranges, while also evaluating overall sensitivity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer

The goal of this talk is to give an overview of the current status of the development of the Einstein Telescope and Cosmic Explorer ground based gravitational wave (GW) detectors and of their foreseen scientific goals. These detectors will be up to a factor 8 more sensitive across the band covered by current detectors, namely LIGO, Virgo and KAGRA, and will extend the accessible frequency band towards the low frequency regime, i.e., below 10 Hz. These improvements will not only enhance the number and quality of GW observations, but will also enable researchers to have access to sources and physical processes which are out of reach for current detectors and explore the possibility of detecting previously unknown GW sources. The improvement in sensitivity in the low frequency regime will also increase the observation time of compact binary coalescence events, strengthening the collaboration with electromagnetic observatories for multimessenger observations of binary neutron star events. In fact, current detectors proved that joint observations of GW events with electromagnetic observatories are not only possible, but they can also give us unprecedented insights on the underlying physics of astrophysical processes.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

A directed continuous-wave search from Scorpius X-1 with the five-vector resampling technique

Continuous gravitational-wave signals (CWs), which are typically emitted by rapidly rotating neutron stars with non-axisymmetric deformations, represent particularly intriguing targets for the Advanced LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detectors. These detectors operate within sensitivity bands that encompass more than half of the known pulsars in our galaxy existing in binary systems (i.e., over 417 pulsars), which are the targeted sources of this paper. However, the detection of these faint signals is especially challenged by the Doppler modulation due to the source's orbital motion, typically described by five Keplerian parameters, which must be determined with high precision to effectively detect the signal. This modulation spreads the signal across multiple frequency bins, resulting in a notable reduction of signal-to-noise ratio and potentially hindering signal detection. To overcome this issue, a robust five-vector resampling data-analysis algorithm has been developed to conduct thorough directed/narrowband CW searches at an affordable computational cost. We employ this methodology for the first time to search for CWs from Scorpius X-1, using publicly available data from the third observing run of the Advanced LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA detectors. No statistically significant CW signals can be claimed. Hence, we proceeded setting 95% confidence-level upper limits in selected frequency bands and orbital parameter ranges, while also evaluating overall sensitivity.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

The impact of local noise recorded at the ET candidate sites on the signal to noise ratio of CBC gravitational wave signals for the ET triangle configuration

We present an evaluation of how site dependent noise can affect the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of compact binary coalescence (CBC) signals in the future 3rd generation gravitational wave (GW) detector Einstein Telescope (ET). The design of ET is currently pushing the scientific community to study its scientific potential with respect to known, and possibly unexpected, GW signals using its design sensitivity curves. However, local ambient noise may have an impact on the ET sensitivity at low frequency and therefore affect the SNR of CBC signals at low frequency. Therefore, we study the impact of ambient noise on the ET sensitivity curve at the two sites candidate to host ET - Sardinia, in Italy, and the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR) at the Netherlands-Belgium border - and infer the impact on the ET sensitivity curve and how the SNR of CBC signals at low frequencies is affected. We find that Sardinia shows results which are on par, if not better, than the design case. On the other hand, ambient noise for the current EMR sensitivity curve in Terziet causes a higher degradation of the SNR performances.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Doppler correlation-driven vetoes for the Frequency Hough analysis in continuous gravitational-wave searches

We present an improved method for vetoing candidates of continuous gravitational-wave sources during all-sky searches utilizing the Frequency Hough pipeline. This approach leverages linear correlations between source parameters induced by the Earth Doppler effect, which can be effectively identified through the Hough Transform. Candidates that do not align with these patterns are considered spurious and can thus be vetoed, enhancing the depth and statistical significance of follow-up analyses. Additionally, we provide a comprehensive explanation of the method calibration, which intrinsically linked to the total duration of the observing run. On average, the procedure successfully vetoes $56\%$ of candidates. To assess the method performance, we conducted a Monte-Carlo simulation injecting fake continuous-wave signals into data from the third observing run of the LIGO detectors. This analysis allowed us to infer strain amplitude upper limits at a $90\%$ confidence level. We found that the optimal sensitivity is $h_0^{90\%} = 3.62^{+0.23}_{-0.22}\times 10^{-26}$ in the [128, 200] Hz band, which is within the most sensible frequency band of the LIGO detectors.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Neural network method to search for long transient gravitational waves

We present a new method to search for long transient gravitational waves signals, like those expected from fast spinning newborn magnetars, in interferometric detector data. Standard search techniques are computationally unfeasible (matched filtering) or very demanding (sub-optimal semi-coherent methods). We explored a different approach by means of machine learning paradigms, to define a fast and inexpensive procedure. We used convolutional neural networks to develop a classifier that is able to discriminate between the presence or the absence of a signal. To complement the classification and enhance its effectiveness, we also developed a denoiser. We studied the performance of both networks with simulated colored noise, according to the design noise curve of LIGO interferometers. We show that the combination of the two models is crucial to increase the chance of detection. Indeed, as we decreased the signal initial amplitude (from $10^{-22}$ down to $10^{-23}$) the classification task became more difficult. In particular, we could not correctly tag signals with an initial amplitude of $2 \times 10^{-23}$ without using the denoiser. By studying the performance of the combined networks, we found a good compromise between the search false alarm rate (2$\%$) and efficiency (90$\%$) for a single interferometer. In addition, we demonstrated that our method is robust with respect to changes in the power law describing the time evolution of the signal frequency. Our results highlight the computationally low cost of this method to generate triggers for long transient signals. The study carried out in this work lays the foundations for further improvements, with the purpose of developing a pipeline able to perform systematic searches of long transient signals.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2024

The Lunar Gravitational-wave Antenna: Mission Studies and Science Case

The Lunar Gravitational-wave Antenna (LGWA) is a proposed array of next-generation inertial sensors to monitor the response of the Moon to gravitational waves (GWs). Given the size of the Moon and the expected noise produced by the lunar seismic background, the LGWA would be able to observe GWs from about 1 mHz to 1 Hz. This would make the LGWA the missing link between space-borne detectors like LISA with peak sensitivities around a few millihertz and proposed future terrestrial detectors like Einstein Telescope or Cosmic Explorer. In this article, we provide a first comprehensive analysis of the LGWA science case including its multi-messenger aspects and lunar science with LGWA data. We also describe the scientific analyses of the Moon required to plan the LGWA mission.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2024

Correlated 0.01Hz-40Hz seismic and Newtonian noise and its impact on future gravitational-wave detectors

We report correlations in underground seismic measurements with horizontal separations of several hundreds of meters to a few kilometers in the frequency range 0.01Hz to 40Hz. These seismic correlations could threaten science goals of planned interferometric gravitational-wave detectors such as the Einstein Telescope as well as atom interferometers such as MIGA and ELGAR. We use seismic measurements from four different sites, i.e. the former Homestake mine (USA) as well as two candidate sites for the Einstein Telescope, Sos Enattos (IT) and Euregio Maas-Rhein (NL-BE-DE) and the site housing the MIGA detector, LSBB (FR). At all sites, we observe significant coherence for at least 50% of the time in the majority of the frequency region of interest. Based on the observed correlations in the seismic fields, we predict levels of correlated Newtonian noise from body waves. We project the effect of correlated Newtonian noise from body waves on the capabilities of the triangular design of the Einstein Telescope's to observe an isotropic gravitational-wave background (GWB) and find that, even in case of the most quiet site, its sensitivity will be affected up to $\sim$20Hz. The resolvable amplitude of a GWB signal with a negatively sloped power-law behaviour would be reduced by several orders of magnitude. However, the resolvability of a power-law signal with a slope of e.g. $α=0$ ($α=2/3$) would be more moderately affected by a factor $\sim$ 6-9 ($\sim$3-4) in case of a low noise environment. Furthermore, we bolster confidence in our results by showing that transient noise features have a limited impact on the presented results.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2023

Gravitational wave signals from long lasting binary-single black hole encounters

In the dense regions of star clusters, close encounters with black holes (BHs) can occur giving rise to a new class of gravitational-wave (GW) signals. Binary-single encounters between three BHs are expected to dominate the rate of signals from unbound systems in the frequency band of terrestrial GW detectors. The encounter can describe a quasi-hyperbolic trajectory, which was the focus of a recent study. In some cases, the encounter can take a more complex form including one or two BH mergers as a result of the encounter, repeating cycles of close proximity between the BHs, and the exchange of a BH that is part of the binary. The variety of types of encounters leads to a variety of GW signals emerging from these encounters. Using the ARWV N-body code, we performed 42 numerical simulations, to explore various outcomes of binary-single interaction, and we characterize the diverse GW signatures produced during these encounters. Additionally, we evaluated the detectability of these GW signals by injecting them into the simulated noise of the Einstein Telescope and exploring different methods to detect the signals. Our findings shed light on the complexities of these interactions and their potential implications for GW astronomy.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2022

Study on the detectability of gravitational radiation from single-binary encounters between black holes in nuclear star cluster: the case of hyperbolic flybys

With the release of the third Gravitational-Wave Transient Catalogue (GWTC-3), 90 observations of compact-binary mergers by Virgo and LIGO detectors are confirmed. Some of these mergers are suspected to have occurred in star clusters. The density of black holes at the cores of these clusters is so high that mergers can occur through a few generations forming increasingly massive black holes. These conditions also make it possible for three black holes to interact, most likely via single-binary encounters. In this paper, we present a first study of how often such encounters can happen in nuclear star clusters (NSCs) as a function of redshift, and whether these encounters are observable by gravitational-wave (GW) detectors. This study focuses on effectively hyperbolic encounters leaving out the resonant encounters. We find that in NSCs single-binary encounters occur rarely compared to binary mergers, and that hyperbolic encounters most likely produce the strongest GW emission below the observation band of terrestrial GW detectors. While several of them can be expected to occur per year with peak energy in the LISA band, their amplitude is low, and detection by LISA seems improbable.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2020

Lunar Gravitational-Wave Antenna

Monitoring of vibrational eigenmodes of an elastic body excited by gravitational waves was one of the first concepts proposed for the detection of gravitational waves. At laboratory scale, these experiments became known as resonant-bar detectors first developed by Joseph Weber in the 1960s. Due to the dimensions of these bars, the targeted signal frequencies were in the kHz range. Weber also pointed out that monitoring of vibrations of Earth or Moon could reveal gravitational waves in the mHz band. His Lunar Surface Gravimeter experiment deployed on the Moon by the Apollo 17 crew had a technical failure rendering the data useless. In this article, we revisit the idea and propose a Lunar Gravitational-Wave Antenna (LGWA). We find that LGWA could become an important partner observatory for joint observations with the space-borne, laser-interferometric detector LISA, and at the same time contribute an independent science case due to LGWA's unique features. Technical challenges need to be overcome for the deployment of the experiment, and development of inertial vibration sensor technology lays out a future path for this exciting detector concept.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

A comparison of methods for the detection of gravitational waves from unknown neutron stars

Rapidly rotating neutron stars are promising sources of continuous gravitational wave radiation for the LIGO and Virgo interferometers. The majority of neutron stars in our galaxy have not been identified with electromagnetic observations. All-sky searches for isolated neutron stars offer the potential to detect gravitational waves from these unidentified sources. The parameter space of these blind all-sky searches, which also cover a large range of frequencies and frequency derivatives, presents a significant computational challenge. Different methods have been designed to perform these searches within acceptable computational limits. Here we describe the first benchmark in a project to compare the search methods currently available for the detection of unknown isolated neutron stars. We employ a mock data challenge to compare the ability of each search method to recover signals simulated assuming a standard signal model. We find similar performance among the short duration search methods, while the long duration search method achieves up to a factor of two higher sensitivity. We find the absence of second derivative frequency in the search parameter space does not degrade search sensivity for signals with physically plausible second derivative frequencies. We also report on the parameter estimation accuracy of each search method, and the stability of the sensitivity in frequency, frequency derivative and in the presence of detector noise.

gr-qc↗