The LSC Glitch Group : Monitoring Noise Transients during the fifth LIGO Science Run

TL;DR

The paper describes the efforts of the LIGO glitch group during the fifth science run to identify, understand, and mitigate noise transients in the detectors, improving data quality for gravitational wave searches.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive approach to noise transient monitoring, veto implementation, and feedback mechanisms during LIGO's fifth science run, enhancing detector data reliability.

Findings

Identification of noise transient causes

Implementation of vetoes to reduce false alarms

Improved data quality for gravitational wave detection

Abstract

The LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) glitch group is part of the LIGO detector characterization effort. It consists of data analysts and detector experts who, during and after science runs, collaborate for a better understanding of noise transients in the detectors. Goals of the glitch group during the fifth LIGO science run (S5) included (1) offline assessment of the detector data quality, with focus on noise transients, (2) veto recommendations for astrophysical analysis and (3) feedback to the commissioning team on anomalies seen in gravitational wave and auxiliary data channels. Other activities included the study of auto-correlation of triggers from burst searches, stationarity of the detector noise and veto studies. The group identified causes for several noise transients that triggered false alarms in the gravitational wave searches; the times of such transients were identified and vetoed from the data generating the LSC astrophysical results.