Reproducing GW150914: the first observation of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger
On September 14, 2015 at 09:50:45 UTC the two detectors of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory simultaneously observed a transient gravitational wave signal. The signal sweeps upwards in frequency from 35 to 250 Hz with a peak gravitational wave strain of 1.0x10( 21) It matches the waveform predicted by general relativity for the inspiral and merger of a pair of black holes and the ringdown of the resulting single black hole. The signal was observed with a matched filter signal to noise ratio of 24 and a false alarm rate estimated to be less than 1 event per 203,000 years, equivalent to a significance greater than 5.1s. The source lies at a luminosity distance of 410( 180)+160) Mpc corresponding to a redshift z=0.09( 0.04)+0.03) In the source frame, the initial black hole masses are 36( 4)+5)M and 29( 4)+4)M, and the final black hole mass is 62( 4)+4)M, with 3.0( 0.5)+0.5)Mc(2) radiated in gravitational waves. All uncertainties define 90% credible intervals. These observations demonstrate the existence of binary stellar mass black hole systems. This is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and the first observation of a binary black hole merger.
Physical review letters