Abstract

On 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 1.0x10-21. It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown 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 5.1σ. The source lies at a luminosity distance of 410-180+160 Mpc corresponding to a redshift z=0.09-0.04+0.03. In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are 36-4+5M⊙ and 29-4+4M, and the final black hole mass is 62-4+4M, with 3.0-0.5+0.5Mc2 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.

Department(s)

Physics

Keywords and Phrases

Bins; Gravitational effects; Gravity waves; Interferometers; Laser interferometry; Matched filters; Mergers and acquisitions; Merging; Relativity; Signal processing; Signal to noise ratio; Stars; Black hole mass; Credible interval; Direct detection; False alarm rate; General Relativity; Gravitational-wave signals; Laser interferometer gravitational-wave observatories; Stellar-mass black holes; Gravitation

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0031-9007

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Final Version

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2016 American Physical Society (APS), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Feb 2016

Included in

Physics Commons

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