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Register a new userUsing the 2-MASS Photometric Redshift Survey to optimize LIGO Follow-Up Observations
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The initial discovery of LIGO on 14 September 2015 was the inspiral merger and ring-down of the black hole binary at a distance of about 500~Mpc or a redshift of about 0.1. The search for electromagnetic counterparts for the inspiral of binary black holes is impeded by coarse initial source localisations and a lack of a compelling model for the counterpart; therefore, rapid electromagnetic follow-up is required to understand the astrophysical context of these sources. Because astrophysical sources of gravitational radiation are likely to reside in galaxies, it would make sense to search first in regions where the LIGO-Virgo probability is large and where the density of galaxies is large as well. Under the assumption that the probability of a gravitational-wave event from a given region of space is proportional to the density of galaxies within the probed volume, one can calculate an improved localisation of the position of the source simply by multiplying the LIGO-Virgo skymap by the density of galaxies in the range of redshifts. We propose using the 2-MASS Photometric Redshift Galaxy Catalogue for this purpose and demonstrate that using it can dramatically reduce the search region for electromagnetic counterparts.
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The recent discovery of gravitational radiation from merging black holes poses a challenge of how to organize the electromagnetic follow-up of gravitational-wave events as well as observed bursts of neutrinos. We propose a technique to select the galaxies that are most likely to host the event given some assumptions of whether the particular event is associated with recent star formation, low metallicity stars or simply proportional to the total stellar mass in the galaxy. We combine data from the 2-MASS Photometric Redshift Galaxy Catalogue with results from galaxy formation simulations to develop observing strategies that potentially reduce the area of sky to search by up to a factor of two relative to an unweighted search of galaxies, and a factor twenty to a search over the entire LIGO localization region.
We present photometric and spectroscopic follow-up observations of short-period variables discovered in the OmegaWhite survey: a wide-field high-cadence g-band synoptic survey targeting the Galactic Plane. We have used fast photometry on the SAAO 1.0-m and 1.9-m telescopes to obtain light curves of 27 variables, and use these results to validate the period and amplitude estimates from the OmegaWhite processing pipeline. Furthermore, 57 sources (44 unique, 13 also with new light curves) were selected for spectroscopic follow-up using either the SAAO 1.9-m telescope or the Southern African Large Telescope. We find many of these variables have spectra which are consistent with being delta Scuti type pulsating stars. At higher amplitudes, we detect four possible pulsating white dwarf/subdwarf sources and an eclipsing cataclysmic variable. Due to their rarity, these targets are ideal candidates for detailed follow-up studies. From spectroscopy, we confirm the symbiotic binary star nature of two variables identified as such in the SIMBAD database. We also report what could possibly be the first detection of the `Bump Cepheid phenomena in a delta Scuti star, with OW J175848.21-271653.7 showing a pronounced 22% amplitude dip lasting 3 minutes during each pulsational cycle peak. However, the precise nature of this target is still uncertain as it exhibits the spectral features of a B-type star.
There are the results of gamma-ray bursts observations obtained using the MASTER robotic telescope in 2007 - 2009. We observed 20 error-boxes of gamma-ray bursts this period.The limits on their optical brightnesses have been derived. There are 5 prompt observations among them, obtained at our very wide field cameras. Also we present the results of the earliest observations of the optical emission of the gamma-ray bursts GRB 050824 and GRB 060926.
We present radio follow-up observations carried out with the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array during the first observing run (O1) of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). A total of three gravitational wave triggers were followed up during the ~4 months of O1, from September 2015 to January 2016. Two of these triggers, GW150914 and GW151226, are binary black hole merger events of high significance. A third trigger, G194575, was subsequently declared as an event of no interest (i.e., a false alarm). Our observations targeted selected optical transients identified by the intermediate Palomar Transient Factory (iPTF) in the Advanced LIGO error regions of the three triggers, and a limited region of the gravitational wave localization area of G194575 not accessible to optical telescopes due to Sun constraints, where a possible high-energy transient was identified. No plausible radio counterparts to GW150914 and GW151226 were found, in agreement with expectations for binary black hole mergers. We show that combining optical and radio observations is key to identifying contaminating radio sources that may be found in the follow-up of gravitational wave triggers, such as emission associated to star formation and AGN. We discuss our results in the context of the theoretical predictions for radio counterparts to gravitational wave transients, and describe our future plans for the radio follow-up of Advanced LIGO (and Virgo) triggers.
In the 1-2.5 micron range, spectroscopic observations are made on the AcuA-spec asteroids, whose spectra were obtained in a continuous covered mode between 2.5-5.0 micron by AKARI. Based on the Bus-DeMeo taxonomy (DeMeo et al. 2009, Icarus, 202, 160), all the AcuA-spec asteroids are classified, using the published and our observational data. Additionally, taking advantage of the Bus-DeMeo taxonomy characteristics, we constrain the characteristic each spectral type by combining the taxonomy results with the other physical observational data from colorimetry, polarimetry, radar, and radiometry. As a result, it is suggested that certain C-, Cb-, B-type, dark X-, and D-complex asteroids have spectral properties compatible with those of anhydrous interplanetary dust particles with tiny bright material, such as water ice. This supports the proposal regarding the C-complex asteroids (Vernazza et al. 2015, ApJ, 806, 204; 2017, AJ, 153, 72). A combination of the Bus-DeMeo taxonomy for AcuA-spec asteroids and the presumptions with other physical clues such as the polarimetric inversion angle, radar albedo, and mid-infrared spectroscopic spectra will be beneficial for surface material constraints, from the AcuA-spec asteroid observations.
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