Testing claims of the GW170817 binary neutron star inspiral affecting $\beta$-decay rates

TL;DR

This study investigates whether the gravitational wave event GW170817 influenced radioactive beta-decay rates and finds no significant correlation, challenging previous claims of such an effect.

Contribution

The paper provides a rigorous analysis showing no correlation between GW170817 and beta-decay rates, correcting for statistical effects and disputing prior findings of a connection.

Findings

No significant correlation found between GW170817 and decay rates.

Previous claims of correlation are not supported after statistical correction.

Analysis emphasizes importance of correcting for Look-Elsewhere effect.

Abstract

On August 17, 2017, the first gravitational wave signal from a binary neutron star inspiral (GW170817) was detected by Advanced LIGO and Advanced VIRGO. Here we present radioactive $\beta$-decay rates of three independent sources $^{44}$Ti, $^{60}$Co and $^{137}$Cs, monitored during the same period by a precision experiment designed to investigate the decay of long-lived radioactive sources. We do not find any significant correlations between decay rates in a 5\,h time interval following the GW170817 observation. This contradicts a previous claim published in this journal of an observed 2.5$\sigma$ Pearson Correlation between fluctuations in the number of observed decays from two $\beta$-decaying isotopes ($^{32}$Si and $^{36}$Cl) in the same time interval. By correcting for the choice of an arbitrary time interval, we find no evidence of a correlation above 1.5$\sigma$ confidence. In addition, we argue that such analyses on correlations in arbitrary time intervals should always correct for the so-called Look-Elsewhere effect by quoting the global significance.