The LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the Virgo Collaboration, The Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Collaboration, The BOOTES Collaboration, The Dark Energy Survey and the Dark Energy Camera GW-EM Collaborations, The Fermi GBM Collaboration, The GRAvitational Wave Inaf TeAm (GRAWITA), The INTEGRAL Collaboration, The Intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) Collaboration, The InterPlanetary Network, J-GEM Collaboration, The La Silla–QUEST Survey, The Liverpool Telescope Collaboration, The Low Frequency Array (LOFAR) Collaboration, The MASTER Collaboration, The MAXI Collaboration, The Murchison Wide-field Array (MWA) Collaboration, The Pan-STARRS Collaboration, The PESSTO Collaboration, The Pi of the Sky Collaboration, The SkyMapper Collaboration, The Swift Collaboration, The TAROT, Zadko, Algerian National Observatory, C2PU Collaboration, The TOROS Collaboration, The VISTA Collaboration (Including: Pollacco, Don, Ulaczyk, Krzysztof, Lyman, J. D., Levan, Andrew J., Oates, S. R. and Steeghs, D.). (2016) Localization and broadband follow-up of the gravitational-wave transient GW150914. The Astrophysical Journal, 826 (1). L13. doi:10.3847/2041-8205/826/1/L13 ISSN 2041-8213.

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Abstract

A gravitational-wave (GW) transient was identified in data recorded by the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors on 2015 September 14. The event, initially designated G184098 and later given the name GW150914, is described in detail elsewhere. By prior arrangement, preliminary estimates of the time, significance, and sky location of the event were shared with 63 teams of observers covering radio, optical, near-infrared, X-ray, and gamma-ray wavelengths with ground- and space-based facilities. In this Letter we describe the low-latency analysis of the GW data and present the sky localization of the first observed compact binary merger. We summarize the follow-up observations reported by 25 teams via private Gamma-ray Coordinates Network circulars, giving an overview of the participating facilities, the GW sky localization coverage, the timeline, and depth of the observations. As this event turned out to be a binary black hole merger, there is little expectation of a detectable electromagnetic (EM) signature. Nevertheless, this first broadband campaign to search for a counterpart of an Advanced LIGO source represents a milestone and highlights the broad capabilities of the transient astronomy community and the observing strategies that have been developed to pursue neutron star binary merger events. Detailed investigations of the EM data and results of the EM follow-up campaign are being disseminated in papers by the individual teams.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QB Astronomy Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions:	Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Science > Physics
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Gravitational waves
Journal or Publication Title:	The Astrophysical Journal
Publisher:	Institute of Physics Publishing, Inc.
ISSN:	2041-8213
Official Date:	20 July 2016
Dates:	Date Event 20 July 2016 Published 2 May 2016 Accepted 29 February 2016 Submitted
Volume:	826
Number:	1
Article Number:	L13
DOI:	10.3847/2041-8205/826/1/L13
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Access rights to Published version:	Open Access (Creative Commons)
Date of first compliant deposit:	24 October 2016
Date of first compliant Open Access:	24 October 2016
Funder:	National Science Foundation (U.S.) (NSF), Science and Technology Facilities Council (Great Britain) (STFC), International Max Planck Research School for Astronomy and Cosmic Physics (IMPRS), Australian Research Council (ARC)

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