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 . 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 . The source lies at a luminosity distance of corresponding to a redshift . In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are and , and the final black hole mass is , with 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.
- Received 21 January 2016
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102
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Published by the American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Viewpoint
The First Sounds of Merging Black Holes
Published 11 February 2016
Gravitational waves emitted by the merger of two black holes have been detected, setting the course for a new era of observational astrophysics.
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