Model-independent test of gravity with a network of ground-based gravitational-wave detectors

TL;DR

This paper introduces a model-independent method to analyze gravitational wave data from a global detector network, enabling tests of Einstein's general relativity against alternative gravity theories by reconstructing polarization modes.

Contribution

It proposes a novel, model-independent approach to reconstruct polarization modes of gravitational waves using data from multiple detectors, facilitating tests of gravity theories.

Findings

Method successfully reconstructs polarization modes from simulated data.

Enables model-independent tests of gravity theories.

Applicable to current and future gravitational wave detector networks.

Abstract

The observation of gravitational waves with a global network of interferometric detectors such as advanced LIGO, advanced Virgo, and KAGRA will make it possible to probe into the nature of space-time structure. Besides Einstein's general theory of relativity, there are several theories of gravitation that passed experimental tests so far. The gravitational-wave observation provides a new experimental test of alternative theories of gravity because a gravitational wave may have at most six independent modes of polarization, of which properties and number of modes are dependent on theories of gravity. This paper proposes a method to reconstruct the independent modes of polarization in time-series data of an advanced detector network. Since the method does not rely on any specific model, it gives model-independent test of alternative theories of gravity.