Search for electron antineutrinos associated with gravitational wave events GW150914 and GW151226 using KamLAND

TL;DR

This study used the KamLAND detector to search for low-energy electron antineutrinos coincident with gravitational wave events GW150914, GW151226, and LVT151012, finding no associated neutrino signals.

Contribution

First to perform a targeted search for low-energy antineutrinos associated with specific gravitational wave events using KamLAND.

Findings

No inverse beta-decay neutrino events detected within ±500 seconds of GW signals.

Constraints placed on the electron antineutrino fluence from these astrophysical sources.

Limits established on the neutrino luminosity of the sources.

Abstract

We present a search for low energy antineutrino events coincident with the gravitational wave events GW150914 and GW151226, and the candidate event LVT151012 using KamLAND, a kiloton-scale antineutrino detector. We find no inverse beta-decay neutrino events within $\pm 500$ seconds of either gravitational wave signal. This non-detection is used to constrain the electron antineutrino fluence and the luminosity of the astrophysical sources.