Implementing Continuous All-sky Monitoring with the OVRO-LWA to Identify Prompt and Precursor Counterparts of Gravitational Wave Events

Abstract A number of theoretical studies have proposed a prompt or precursor low-frequency radio counterpart to gravitational wave events detected by LIGO and Virgo. Detection of such events would offer a new window on the immediate environment of the merger and provide an avenue to rapid localization. However, identifying fast transients in real-time in localization regions spanning hundreds to thousands of square degrees presents severe technical challenges. To address these challenges, we present a novel technique embodied in the Time Machine, a system featuring a two-stage voltage buffer and subsequent processing pipeline designed for the Long Wavelength Array at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. This array is developed to instantaneously image the entire viewable sky. We detail the system’s buffer structure that allows data collection from several minutes before a trigger event, up to 30 minutes after an event. The processing of this voltage data involves beamforming and searching the full 90th-percentile localization region above the horizon with ms-time resolution and the ability to detect events with ∼100 Jy ms (7 σ ) fluence within the 55–85 MHz band. Furthermore, we incorporate an offline cross-correlation pipeline to improve positional accuracy of identified transients to within subarcminute levels. We present a full overview of the system design and initial testing results.

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Publication Details

Journal
The Astrophysical Journal
Published
2025-05-30
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/add014
Citations
2
Primary Topic
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
2.31

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article

Implementing Continuous All-sky Monitoring with the OVRO-LWA to Identify Prompt and Precursor Counterparts of Gravitational Wave Events

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Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
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article

Implementing Continuous All-sky Monitoring with the OVRO-LWA to Identify Prompt and Precursor Counterparts of Gravitational Wave Events

Grégory Hellbourg, Akshatha K. Vydula, Mark Hodges, Nikita Kosogorov, Charlie Harnach, J. Hickish, Morgan Catha, Kathryn Plant, Jayce Dowell, James W. Lamb, Nivedita Mahesh, Surajit Mondal, Daniel Jacobs, D. P. Woody, Vinand Prayag, Matthew Kolopanis, Gregg Hallinan, G. B. Taylor, Yuping Huang, Larry R. D’Addario, Katherine Elder, Sijie Yu, Dale E. Gary, Peijin Zhang, Ruby Byrne, Mike Virgin, Rick Hobbs, Casey Law, Marin M. Anderson, Sherry Chhabra, Ivey Davis, S. Weinreb, Judd D. Bowman, David O. Hodge, Yunze Zhao, A. Romero‐Wolf, Bin Chen, Jun Shi, Brian O’Donnell, Andrea Isella, Ghislain Kemby, John T. Klinefelter, Andres Rizo
article en
2 citations

Abstract

Abstract A number of theoretical studies have proposed a prompt or precursor low-frequency radio counterpart to gravitational wave events detected by LIGO and Virgo. Detection of such events would offer a new window on the immediate environment of the merger and provide an avenue to rapid localization. However, identifying fast transients in real-time in localization regions spanning hundreds to thousands of square degrees presents severe technical challenges. To address these challenges, we present a novel technique embodied in the Time Machine, a system featuring a two-stage voltage buffer and subsequent processing pipeline designed for the Long Wavelength Array at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. This array is developed to instantaneously image the entire viewable sky. We detail the system’s buffer structure that allows data collection from several minutes before a trigger event, up to 30 minutes after an event. The processing of this voltage data involves beamforming and searching the full 90th-percentile localization region above the horizon with ms-time resolution and the ability to detect events with ∼100 Jy ms (7 σ ) fluence within the 55–85 MHz band. Furthermore, we incorporate an offline cross-correlation pipeline to improve positional accuracy of identified transients to within subarcminute levels. We present a full overview of the system design and initial testing results.

The Astrophysical JournalVol. 985(2)
New Jersey Institute of Technology (US), California Institute of Technology (US), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (US), George Mason University (US), University of New Mexico (US), Cobham (United Kingdom) (GB), Arizona State University (US), Rice University (US), Bournemouth University (GB)
Simons Foundation
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research
2.31
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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