High speed source localization in searches for gravitational waves from compact object collisions

Abstract

Multi-messenger astronomy is of great interest since the success of the electromagnetic follow up of the neutron star merger GW170817. However, the information that was learned from GW170817 was limited by the long delay in finding the optical transient. Even in the best-case scenario, the current gravitational-wave source localization method is not sufficient for some frequency bands. Therefore, one needs a more rapid localization method even if it is less accurate. Building upon an Excess power method, we describe a new localization method for compact object collisions that produces posterior probability maps in only a few hundred milliseconds. Some accuracy is lost, with the searched sky areas being approximately $10$ times larger. We imagine this new technique playing a role in a hierarchical scheme were fast early location estimates are iteratively improved upon as better analyses complete on longer time scales.