Hunting for the electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave sources
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The project concerns the search for coincident counterparts to gravitational wave events at electromagnetic wavelengths.
The upgraded ground-based gravitational wave detectors have now announced several detections and even more sensitive searches will be executed in the next few years. Warwick, in collaboration with several UK and international partners, are about to deploy a dedicated array of robotic telescopes on La Palma, the Gravitational Wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO). Ryan's main task will be to harvest the GOTO data stream and select the most promising counterpart candidates. These would then be studies in more detail using follow-up facilities, including the Liverpool telescope and the ING. Part of the challenge will be to understand the expected signatures of EM emission associated with these events as well as recognise a variety of unrelated foreground events that will produce false positives during an EM search. This will involve exploring modern classification techniques, such as supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms.
The upgraded ground-based gravitational wave detectors have now announced several detections and even more sensitive searches will be executed in the next few years. Warwick, in collaboration with several UK and international partners, are about to deploy a dedicated array of robotic telescopes on La Palma, the Gravitational Wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO). Ryan's main task will be to harvest the GOTO data stream and select the most promising counterpart candidates. These would then be studies in more detail using follow-up facilities, including the Liverpool telescope and the ING. Part of the challenge will be to understand the expected signatures of EM emission associated with these events as well as recognise a variety of unrelated foreground events that will produce false positives during an EM search. This will involve exploring modern classification techniques, such as supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms.
Organisations
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST/N504506/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2021 | |||
| 1763026 | Studentship | ST/N504506/1 | 03/10/2016 | 31/05/2020 | Ryan Cutter |
| Title | Freefall |
| Description | A python orbital simulator. Designed for HPC simulations of diamagnetic drag around magnetic white dwarfs. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | Being used in two research papers |
| URL | http://zenodo.org/record/3693237#.Xl62JengreQ |
| Title | LazyPSF |
| Description | Point Spread Function (PSF) modelling software. Using either a simple bivariate Gaussian, or PSFex. Can model flux distributions in the image, or create a uniform flux distribution across an apparent magnitude range for a given zero point. Using the modeled PSF and flux distribution can then inject a given number of fake sources into a supplied fits file. Can create a catalog, listing x,y,flux(, mag: optional) Can be used for mock transient hunting, image subtraction tests. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | A fast and easy way to model PSFs and inject sources at a research quality standard |
| URL | https://github.com/ryanc123/LazyPSF |
| Title | ZOGY in Parallel ZiP |
| Description | ZOGY in Parallell (ZiP) is a fast(ish) computation of proper image subtraction B.Zackay, E.Ofek, A.Gal-Yam (2016). Inspired by Ofek 2014 and pmvreeswijk. ZiP offers a faster subtraction at the expense of a more comprehensive input. I.e. The program should be tailored for one telescope or input of images. This code has a parallell function, however it requires 6+ cores to operate. This particular Case is optimised for the Gravitational-Wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO) However, simple fudging of the parameters should make it possible to make this work for other telescopes. An internal version of spalipy has been added as the alignment algorithm. This uses sextractor to find source locations in two images and then aligns them with an affine transform. Residuals are then used to build a 2D spline surface to correct for warping due to large field distortions. Finally, a parallel version of proper coadition is used for stacking images. It still isn't increadibly fast for on the spot coaddition; so a meidian combine tool is also included. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | Implemented in the GOTO survey. Potentially being used in other surveys |
| URL | https://github.com/GOTO-OBS/ZiP |
| Description | I'm A Scientist Get Me Out of Here |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I won I'm A scientist get me out here Gravity Zone 2017. This involved answering the questions of school children online. With a strong focus on Gravitational Wave science, but also many general questions are asked as well. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://careers.imascientist.org.uk/profile/ryancutter/ |
| Description | I'm A Scientist Get Me out of Here - £50 note challenge |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | I championed Stephen Hawking to be on the £50 note. Answering questions as the late Stephen Hawking I successfully convinced school children that he should be on the £50 note. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2006,2019 |
| URL | https://about.imascientist.org.uk/category/evaluation/ |
| Description | Warwick XMAS GALA 2018 - Warwick's Telescopes |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We demonstrated the functionality of the different telescopes Warwick has. Furthermore, we would do remote demonstrations of how the telescopes operated. We also had an inflatable planetarium, however I did not host that segment. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/xmas/impact/xmas_scientist_experienceb/science_gala_2018/ |
| Description | Warwick XMAS GALA 2019 - Crystal Building Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This year I participated in the building crystals workshop. We hosted a small workshop in which children and their parents can come in and build crystals out of sweets. Teaching them the principals of how atoms bond in lattice structures. We also encourage them to grow crystals out of sugar at home, which almost every parent seemed keen on doing. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/xmas/impact/xmas_scientist_experienceb/science_gala_2019/ |
| Description | Wonders of the Moon documentary - Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I appeared on an interview for Wonders of the moon. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09qjl7g |