Comments on the 2001 run of the EXPLORER/NAUTILUS gravitational wave experiment

TL;DR

This paper defends the 2001 analysis of the EXPLORER and NAUTILUS gravitational wave detectors, emphasizing its high data quality and new coincidence search method, while acknowledging the need for future confirmation of observed coincidences.

Contribution

It introduces a new procedure for coincidence search in gravitational wave data and defends the validity of the 2001 analysis against criticisms.

Findings

Data of unprecedented quality was analyzed.

A new coincidence search procedure was proposed.

Reported coincidence excess expected to be confirmed or denied soon.

Abstract

The recently published analysis of the coincidences between the EXPLORER and NAUTILUS gravitational wave detectors in the year 2001 (Astone et al. 2002) has drawn some criticism (Finn 2003). We do not hold with these objections, even if we agree that no claim can be made with our data. The paper we published reports data of unprecedented quality and sets a new procedure for the coincidence search, which can be repeated again by us and by other groups in order to search for signature of possible signals. About the reported coincidence excess, we remark that it is not destined to remain an intriguing observation for long: it will be confirmed or denied soon by interferometers and bars operating at their expected sensitivity.