FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS of the LIGO EVENT GW150914

M. Ackermann; M. Ajello; A. Albert; B. Anderson; M. Arimoto; W. B. Atwood; M. Axelsson; L. Baldini; J. Ballet; G. Barbiellini; M. G. Baring; D. Bastieri; J. Becerra Gonzalez; R. Bellazzini; E. Bissaldi; R. D. Blandford; E. D. Bloom; R. Bonino; E. Bottacini; T. J. Brandt; J. Bregeon; R. J. Britto; P. Bruel; R. Buehler; T. H. Burnett; S. Buson; G. A. Caliandro; R. A. Cameron; R. Caputo; M. Caragiulo; P. A. Caraveo; J. M. Casandjian; E. Cavazzuti; E. Charles; A. Chekhtman; J. Chiang; G. Chiaro; S. Ciprini; J. Cohen-Tanugi; L. R. Cominsky; B. Condon; F. Costanza; A. Cuoco; S. Cutini; F. D'Ammando; F. De Palma; R. Desiante; S. W. Digel; N. Di Lalla; M. Di Mauro; L. Di Venere; A. Domnguez; P. S. Drell; R. Dubois; D. Dumora; C. Favuzzi; S. J. Fegan; E. C. Ferrara; A. Franckowiak; Y. Fukazawa; S. Funk; P. Fusco; F. Gargano; D. Gasparrini; N. Gehrels; N. Giglietto; M. Giomi; P. Giommi; F. Giordano; M. Giroletti; T. Glanzman; G. Godfrey; G. A. Gomez-Vargas; J. Granot; D. Green; I. A. Grenier; M. H. Grondin; J. E. Grove; L. Guillemot; S. Guiriec; D. Hadasch; A. K. Harding; E. Hays; J. W. Hewitt; A. B. Hill; D. Horan; T. Jogler; G. Jóhannesson; T. Kamae; S. Kensei; D. Kocevski; M. Kuss; G. La Mura; S. Larsson; L. Latronico; M. Lemoine-Goumard; J. Li; L. Li; F. Longo; F. Loparco; M. N. Lovellette; P. Lubrano; G. M. Madejski; J. Magill; S. Maldera; A. Manfreda; M. Marelli; M. Mayer; M. N. Mazziotta; J. E. McEnery; M. Meyer; P. F. Michelson; N. Mirabal; T. Mizuno; A. A. Moiseev; M. E. Monzani; E. Moretti; A. Morselli; I. V. Moskalenko; S. Murgia; M. Negro; E. Nuss; T. Ohsugi; N. Omodei; M. Orienti; E. Orlando; J. F. Ormes; D. Paneque; J. S. Perkins; M. Pesce-Rollins; F. Piron; G. Pivato; T. A. Porter; J. L. Racusin; S. Rain; R. Rando; S. Razzaque; A. Reimer; O. Reimer; T. Reposeur; S. Ritz; L. S. Rochester; R. W. Romani; P. M.Saz Parkinson; C. Sgr; D. Simone; E. J. Siskind; D. A. Smith; F. Spada; G. Spandre; P. Spinelli; D. J. Suson; H. Tajima; J. G. Thayer; J. B. Thayer; D. J. Thompson; L. Tibaldo; D. F. Torres; E. Troja; Y. Uchiyama; T. M. Venters; G. Vianello; K. S. Wood; M. Wood; G. Zaharijas; S. Zhu; S. Zimmer

doi:10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2

FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS of the LIGO EVENT GW150914

M. Ackermann
, M. Ajello
, A. Albert
, B. Anderson
, M. Arimoto
, W. B. Atwood
, M. Axelsson
, L. Baldini
, J. Ballet
, G. Barbiellini
, M. G. Baring
, D. Bastieri
, J. Becerra Gonzalez
, R. Bellazzini
, E. Bissaldi
, R. D. Blandford
, E. D. Bloom
, R. Bonino
, E. Bottacini
, T. J. Brandt

J. Bregeon, R. J. Britto, P. Bruel, R. Buehler, T. H. Burnett, S. Buson, G. A. Caliandro, R. A. Cameron, R. Caputo, M. Caragiulo, P. A. Caraveo, J. M. Casandjian, E. Cavazzuti, E. Charles, A. Chekhtman, J. Chiang, G. Chiaro, S. Ciprini, J. Cohen-Tanugi, L. R. Cominsky, B. Condon, F. Costanza, A. Cuoco, S. Cutini, F. D'Ammando, F. De Palma, R. Desiante, S. W. Digel, N. Di Lalla, M. Di Mauro, L. Di Venere, A. Domnguez, P. S. Drell, R. Dubois, D. Dumora, C. Favuzzi, S. J. Fegan, E. C. Ferrara, A. Franckowiak, Y. Fukazawa, S. Funk, P. Fusco, F. Gargano, D. Gasparrini, N. Gehrels, N. Giglietto, M. Giomi, P. Giommi, F. Giordano, M. Giroletti, T. Glanzman, G. Godfrey, G. A. Gomez-Vargas, J. Granot, D. Green, I. A. Grenier, M. H. Grondin, J. E. Grove, L. Guillemot, S. Guiriec, D. Hadasch, A. K. Harding, E. Hays, J. W. Hewitt, A. B. Hill, D. Horan, T. Jogler, G. Jóhannesson, T. Kamae, S. Kensei, D. Kocevski, M. Kuss, G. La Mura, S. Larsson, L. Latronico, M. Lemoine-Goumard, J. Li, L. Li, F. Longo, F. Loparco, M. N. Lovellette, P. Lubrano, G. M. Madejski, J. Magill, S. Maldera, A. Manfreda, M. Marelli, M. Mayer, M. N. Mazziotta, J. E. McEnery, M. Meyer, P. F. Michelson, N. Mirabal, T. Mizuno, A. A. Moiseev, M. E. Monzani, E. Moretti, A. Morselli, I. V. Moskalenko, S. Murgia, M. Negro, E. Nuss, T. Ohsugi, N. Omodei, M. Orienti, E. Orlando, J. F. Ormes, D. Paneque, J. S. Perkins, M. Pesce-Rollins, F. Piron, G. Pivato, T. A. Porter, J. L. Racusin, S. Rain, R. Rando, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, O. Reimer, T. Reposeur, S. Ritz, L. S. Rochester, R. W. Romani, P. M.Saz Parkinson, C. Sgr, D. Simone, E. J. Siskind, D. A. Smith, F. Spada, G. Spandre, P. Spinelli, D. J. Suson, H. Tajima, J. G. Thayer, J. B. Thayer, D. J. Thompson, L. Tibaldo, D. F. Torres, E. Troja, Y. Uchiyama, T. M. Venters, G. Vianello, K. S. Wood, M. Wood, G. Zaharijas, S. Zhu, S. Zimmer

Physics

German Electron Synchrotron
Clemson University
Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology
Stockholm University
Oskar Klein Centre
Tokyo Institute of Technology
University of California at Santa Cruz
KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Tokyo Metropolitan University
University of Pisa
CEA-IRFU/CNRS/Université Paris Diderot
National Institute for Nuclear Physics
University of Trieste
Rice University
University of Padua
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
University of Maryland
University of Turin
Université Montpellier 2
University of Johannesburg
École polytechnique
University of Washington
University of Maryland Baltimore County
Consorzio Interuniversitario per la Fisica Spaziale (CIFS)
Polytechnic University of Bari
Istituto di Astrofisica Spaziale e Fisica Cosmica di Bologna
Italian Space Agency
George Mason University
Naval Research Laboratory
Sonoma State University
Centre d'Etudes Nucléaires Bordeaux-Gradingnan (CENBG)
Osservatorio Astronomico Roma
National Institute for Astrophysics
University of Bologna
Pegaso Telematic University
University of Udine
Hiroshima University
Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Open University of Israel
Université d'Orléans
CNRS
Innsbruck Medical University
University of North Florida
University of Southampton
University of Iceland
The University of Tokyo
CSIC
Max Planck Institute for Physics (Werner Heisenberg Institute)
University of California at Irvine
University of Denver
The University of Hong Kong
NYCB Real-Time Computing Inc.
Purdue University Northwest
Nagoya University
Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics
ICREA
Department of Physics
University of Nova Gorica

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has an instantaneous field of view (FoV) covering of the sky and it completes a survey of the entire sky in high-energy gamma-rays every 3 hr. It enables searches for transient phenomena over timescales from milliseconds to years. Among these phenomena could be electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave (GW) sources. In this paper, we present a detailed study of the LAT observations relevant to Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) event GW150914, which is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and has been interpreted as being due to the coalescence of two stellar-mass black holes. The localization region for GW150914 was outside the LAT FoV at the time of the GW signal. However, as part of routine survey observations, the LAT observed the entire LIGO localization region within ∼70 minutes of the trigger and thus enabled a comprehensive search for a γ-ray counterpart to GW150914. The study of the LAT data presented here did not find any potential counterparts to GW150914, but it did provide limits on the presence of a transient counterpart above 100 MeV on timescales of hours to days over the entire GW150914 localization region.

Original language	English
Article number	L2
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	823
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2
Publication status	Published - 20 May 2016

Keywords

gamma-ray burst: general
gamma-rays: general
gravitational waves
methods: observational

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Space and Planetary Science

Access to Document

10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2

Cite this

Ackermann, M., Ajello, M., Albert, A., Anderson, B., Arimoto, M., Atwood, W. B., Axelsson, M., Baldini, L., Ballet, J., Barbiellini, G., Baring, M. G., Bastieri, D., Gonzalez, J. B., Bellazzini, R., Bissaldi, E., Blandford, R. D., Bloom, E. D., Bonino, R., Bottacini, E., ... Zimmer, S. (2016). FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS of the LIGO EVENT GW150914. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 823(1), Article L2. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2

@article{5c5d851e2a6c4f1a84e1a98e5058d390,

title = "FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS of the LIGO EVENT GW150914",

abstract = "The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has an instantaneous field of view (FoV) covering of the sky and it completes a survey of the entire sky in high-energy gamma-rays every 3 hr. It enables searches for transient phenomena over timescales from milliseconds to years. Among these phenomena could be electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave (GW) sources. In this paper, we present a detailed study of the LAT observations relevant to Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) event GW150914, which is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and has been interpreted as being due to the coalescence of two stellar-mass black holes. The localization region for GW150914 was outside the LAT FoV at the time of the GW signal. However, as part of routine survey observations, the LAT observed the entire LIGO localization region within ∼70 minutes of the trigger and thus enabled a comprehensive search for a γ-ray counterpart to GW150914. The study of the LAT data presented here did not find any potential counterparts to GW150914, but it did provide limits on the presence of a transient counterpart above 100 MeV on timescales of hours to days over the entire GW150914 localization region.",

keywords = "gamma-ray burst: general, gamma-rays: general, gravitational waves, methods: observational",

author = "M. Ackermann and M. Ajello and A. Albert and B. Anderson and M. Arimoto and Atwood, \{W. B.\} and M. Axelsson and L. Baldini and J. Ballet and G. Barbiellini and Baring, \{M. G.\} and D. Bastieri and Gonzalez, \{J. Becerra\} and R. Bellazzini and E. Bissaldi and Blandford, \{R. D.\} and Bloom, \{E. D.\} and R. Bonino and E. Bottacini and Brandt, \{T. J.\} and J. Bregeon and Britto, \{R. J.\} and P. Bruel and R. Buehler and Burnett, \{T. H.\} and S. Buson and Caliandro, \{G. A.\} and Cameron, \{R. A.\} and R. Caputo and M. Caragiulo and Caraveo, \{P. A.\} and Casandjian, \{J. M.\} and E. Cavazzuti and E. Charles and A. Chekhtman and J. Chiang and G. Chiaro and S. Ciprini and J. Cohen-Tanugi and Cominsky, \{L. R.\} and B. Condon and F. Costanza and A. Cuoco and S. Cutini and F. D'Ammando and Palma, \{F. De\} and R. Desiante and Digel, \{S. W.\} and Lalla, \{N. Di\} and Mauro, \{M. Di\} and Venere, \{L. Di\} and A. Domnguez and Drell, \{P. S.\} and R. Dubois and D. Dumora and C. Favuzzi and Fegan, \{S. J.\} and Ferrara, \{E. C.\} and A. Franckowiak and Y. Fukazawa and S. Funk and P. Fusco and F. Gargano and D. Gasparrini and N. Gehrels and N. Giglietto and M. Giomi and P. Giommi and F. Giordano and M. Giroletti and T. Glanzman and G. Godfrey and Gomez-Vargas, \{G. A.\} and J. Granot and D. Green and Grenier, \{I. A.\} and Grondin, \{M. H.\} and Grove, \{J. E.\} and L. Guillemot and S. Guiriec and D. Hadasch and Harding, \{A. K.\} and E. Hays and Hewitt, \{J. W.\} and Hill, \{A. B.\} and D. Horan and T. Jogler and G. J{\'o}hannesson and T. Kamae and S. Kensei and D. Kocevski and M. Kuss and Mura, \{G. La\} and S. Larsson and L. Latronico and M. Lemoine-Goumard and J. Li and L. Li and F. Longo and F. Loparco and Lovellette, \{M. N.\} and P. Lubrano and Madejski, \{G. M.\} and J. Magill and S. Maldera and A. Manfreda and M. Marelli and M. Mayer and Mazziotta, \{M. N.\} and McEnery, \{J. E.\} and M. Meyer and Michelson, \{P. F.\} and N. Mirabal and T. Mizuno and Moiseev, \{A. A.\} and Monzani, \{M. E.\} and E. Moretti and A. Morselli and Moskalenko, \{I. V.\} and S. Murgia and M. Negro and E. Nuss and T. Ohsugi and N. Omodei and M. Orienti and E. Orlando and Ormes, \{J. F.\} and D. Paneque and Perkins, \{J. S.\} and M. Pesce-Rollins and F. Piron and G. Pivato and Porter, \{T. A.\} and Racusin, \{J. L.\} and S. Rain and R. Rando and S. Razzaque and A. Reimer and O. Reimer and T. Reposeur and S. Ritz and Rochester, \{L. S.\} and Romani, \{R. W.\} and Parkinson, \{P. M.Saz\} and C. Sgr and D. Simone and Siskind, \{E. J.\} and Smith, \{D. A.\} and F. Spada and G. Spandre and P. Spinelli and Suson, \{D. J.\} and H. Tajima and Thayer, \{J. G.\} and Thayer, \{J. B.\} and Thompson, \{D. J.\} and L. Tibaldo and Torres, \{D. F.\} and E. Troja and Y. Uchiyama and Venters, \{T. M.\} and G. Vianello and Wood, \{K. S.\} and M. Wood and G. Zaharijas and S. Zhu and S. Zimmer",

year = "2016",

month = may,

day = "20",

doi = "10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2",

language = "English",

volume = "823",

journal = "Astrophysical Journal Letters",

issn = "2041-8205",

publisher = "American Astronomical Society",

number = "1",

}

Ackermann, M, Ajello, M, Albert, A, Anderson, B, Arimoto, M, Atwood, WB, Axelsson, M, Baldini, L, Ballet, J, Barbiellini, G, Baring, MG, Bastieri, D, Gonzalez, JB, Bellazzini, R, Bissaldi, E, Blandford, RD, Bloom, ED, Bonino, R, Bottacini, E, Brandt, TJ, Bregeon, J, Britto, RJ, Bruel, P, Buehler, R, Burnett, TH, Buson, S, Caliandro, GA, Cameron, RA, Caputo, R, Caragiulo, M, Caraveo, PA, Casandjian, JM, Cavazzuti, E, Charles, E, Chekhtman, A, Chiang, J, Chiaro, G, Ciprini, S, Cohen-Tanugi, J, Cominsky, LR, Condon, B, Costanza, F, Cuoco, A, Cutini, S, D'Ammando, F, Palma, FD, Desiante, R, Digel, SW, Lalla, ND, Mauro, MD, Venere, LD, Domnguez, A, Drell, PS, Dubois, R, Dumora, D, Favuzzi, C, Fegan, SJ, Ferrara, EC, Franckowiak, A, Fukazawa, Y, Funk, S, Fusco, P, Gargano, F, Gasparrini, D, Gehrels, N, Giglietto, N, Giomi, M, Giommi, P, Giordano, F, Giroletti, M, Glanzman, T, Godfrey, G, Gomez-Vargas, GA, Granot, J, Green, D, Grenier, IA, Grondin, MH, Grove, JE, Guillemot, L, Guiriec, S, Hadasch, D, Harding, AK, Hays, E, Hewitt, JW, Hill, AB, Horan, D, Jogler, T, Jóhannesson, G, Kamae, T, Kensei, S, Kocevski, D, Kuss, M, Mura, GL, Larsson, S, Latronico, L, Lemoine-Goumard, M, Li, J, Li, L, Longo, F, Loparco, F, Lovellette, MN, Lubrano, P, Madejski, GM, Magill, J, Maldera, S, Manfreda, A, Marelli, M, Mayer, M, Mazziotta, MN, McEnery, JE, Meyer, M, Michelson, PF, Mirabal, N, Mizuno, T, Moiseev, AA, Monzani, ME, Moretti, E, Morselli, A, Moskalenko, IV, Murgia, S, Negro, M, Nuss, E, Ohsugi, T, Omodei, N, Orienti, M, Orlando, E, Ormes, JF, Paneque, D, Perkins, JS, Pesce-Rollins, M, Piron, F, Pivato, G, Porter, TA, Racusin, JL, Rain, S, Rando, R, Razzaque, S, Reimer, A, Reimer, O, Reposeur, T, Ritz, S, Rochester, LS, Romani, RW, Parkinson, PMS, Sgr, C, Simone, D, Siskind, EJ, Smith, DA, Spada, F, Spandre, G, Spinelli, P, Suson, DJ, Tajima, H, Thayer, JG, Thayer, JB, Thompson, DJ, Tibaldo, L, Torres, DF, Troja, E, Uchiyama, Y, Venters, TM, Vianello, G, Wood, KS, Wood, M, Zaharijas, G, Zhu, S & Zimmer, S 2016, 'FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS of the LIGO EVENT GW150914', Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol. 823, no. 1, L2. https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2

TY - JOUR

T1 - FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS of the LIGO EVENT GW150914

AU - Ackermann, M.

AU - Ajello, M.

AU - Albert, A.

AU - Anderson, B.

AU - Arimoto, M.

AU - Atwood, W. B.

AU - Axelsson, M.

AU - Baldini, L.

AU - Ballet, J.

AU - Barbiellini, G.

AU - Baring, M. G.

AU - Bastieri, D.

AU - Gonzalez, J. Becerra

AU - Bellazzini, R.

AU - Bissaldi, E.

AU - Blandford, R. D.

AU - Bloom, E. D.

AU - Bonino, R.

AU - Bottacini, E.

AU - Brandt, T. J.

AU - Bregeon, J.

AU - Britto, R. J.

AU - Bruel, P.

AU - Buehler, R.

AU - Burnett, T. H.

AU - Buson, S.

AU - Caliandro, G. A.

AU - Cameron, R. A.

AU - Caputo, R.

AU - Caragiulo, M.

AU - Caraveo, P. A.

AU - Casandjian, J. M.

AU - Cavazzuti, E.

AU - Charles, E.

AU - Chekhtman, A.

AU - Chiang, J.

AU - Chiaro, G.

AU - Ciprini, S.

AU - Cohen-Tanugi, J.

AU - Cominsky, L. R.

AU - Condon, B.

AU - Costanza, F.

AU - Cuoco, A.

AU - Cutini, S.

AU - D'Ammando, F.

AU - Palma, F. De

AU - Desiante, R.

AU - Digel, S. W.

AU - Lalla, N. Di

AU - Mauro, M. Di

AU - Venere, L. Di

AU - Domnguez, A.

AU - Drell, P. S.

AU - Dubois, R.

AU - Dumora, D.

AU - Favuzzi, C.

AU - Fegan, S. J.

AU - Ferrara, E. C.

AU - Franckowiak, A.

AU - Fukazawa, Y.

AU - Funk, S.

AU - Fusco, P.

AU - Gargano, F.

AU - Gasparrini, D.

AU - Gehrels, N.

AU - Giglietto, N.

AU - Giomi, M.

AU - Giommi, P.

AU - Giordano, F.

AU - Giroletti, M.

AU - Glanzman, T.

AU - Godfrey, G.

AU - Gomez-Vargas, G. A.

AU - Granot, J.

AU - Green, D.

AU - Grenier, I. A.

AU - Grondin, M. H.

AU - Grove, J. E.

AU - Guillemot, L.

AU - Guiriec, S.

AU - Hadasch, D.

AU - Harding, A. K.

AU - Hays, E.

AU - Hewitt, J. W.

AU - Hill, A. B.

AU - Horan, D.

AU - Jogler, T.

AU - Jóhannesson, G.

AU - Kamae, T.

AU - Kensei, S.

AU - Kocevski, D.

AU - Kuss, M.

AU - Mura, G. La

AU - Larsson, S.

AU - Latronico, L.

AU - Lemoine-Goumard, M.

AU - Li, J.

AU - Li, L.

AU - Longo, F.

AU - Loparco, F.

AU - Lovellette, M. N.

AU - Lubrano, P.

AU - Madejski, G. M.

AU - Magill, J.

AU - Maldera, S.

AU - Manfreda, A.

AU - Marelli, M.

AU - Mayer, M.

AU - Mazziotta, M. N.

AU - McEnery, J. E.

AU - Meyer, M.

AU - Michelson, P. F.

AU - Mirabal, N.

AU - Mizuno, T.

AU - Moiseev, A. A.

AU - Monzani, M. E.

AU - Moretti, E.

AU - Morselli, A.

AU - Moskalenko, I. V.

AU - Murgia, S.

AU - Negro, M.

AU - Nuss, E.

AU - Ohsugi, T.

AU - Omodei, N.

AU - Orienti, M.

AU - Orlando, E.

AU - Ormes, J. F.

AU - Paneque, D.

AU - Perkins, J. S.

AU - Pesce-Rollins, M.

AU - Piron, F.

AU - Pivato, G.

AU - Porter, T. A.

AU - Racusin, J. L.

AU - Rain, S.

AU - Rando, R.

AU - Razzaque, S.

AU - Reimer, A.

AU - Reimer, O.

AU - Reposeur, T.

AU - Ritz, S.

AU - Rochester, L. S.

AU - Romani, R. W.

AU - Parkinson, P. M.Saz

AU - Sgr, C.

AU - Simone, D.

AU - Siskind, E. J.

AU - Smith, D. A.

AU - Spada, F.

AU - Spandre, G.

AU - Spinelli, P.

AU - Suson, D. J.

AU - Tajima, H.

AU - Thayer, J. G.

AU - Thayer, J. B.

AU - Thompson, D. J.

AU - Tibaldo, L.

AU - Torres, D. F.

AU - Troja, E.

AU - Uchiyama, Y.

AU - Venters, T. M.

AU - Vianello, G.

AU - Wood, K. S.

AU - Wood, M.

AU - Zaharijas, G.

AU - Zhu, S.

AU - Zimmer, S.

PY - 2016/5/20

Y1 - 2016/5/20

N2 - The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has an instantaneous field of view (FoV) covering of the sky and it completes a survey of the entire sky in high-energy gamma-rays every 3 hr. It enables searches for transient phenomena over timescales from milliseconds to years. Among these phenomena could be electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave (GW) sources. In this paper, we present a detailed study of the LAT observations relevant to Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) event GW150914, which is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and has been interpreted as being due to the coalescence of two stellar-mass black holes. The localization region for GW150914 was outside the LAT FoV at the time of the GW signal. However, as part of routine survey observations, the LAT observed the entire LIGO localization region within ∼70 minutes of the trigger and thus enabled a comprehensive search for a γ-ray counterpart to GW150914. The study of the LAT data presented here did not find any potential counterparts to GW150914, but it did provide limits on the presence of a transient counterpart above 100 MeV on timescales of hours to days over the entire GW150914 localization region.

AB - The Fermi Large Area Telescope (LAT) has an instantaneous field of view (FoV) covering of the sky and it completes a survey of the entire sky in high-energy gamma-rays every 3 hr. It enables searches for transient phenomena over timescales from milliseconds to years. Among these phenomena could be electromagnetic counterparts to gravitational wave (GW) sources. In this paper, we present a detailed study of the LAT observations relevant to Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) event GW150914, which is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and has been interpreted as being due to the coalescence of two stellar-mass black holes. The localization region for GW150914 was outside the LAT FoV at the time of the GW signal. However, as part of routine survey observations, the LAT observed the entire LIGO localization region within ∼70 minutes of the trigger and thus enabled a comprehensive search for a γ-ray counterpart to GW150914. The study of the LAT data presented here did not find any potential counterparts to GW150914, but it did provide limits on the presence of a transient counterpart above 100 MeV on timescales of hours to days over the entire GW150914 localization region.

KW - gamma-ray burst: general

KW - gamma-rays: general

KW - gravitational waves

KW - methods: observational

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84971611975

U2 - 10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2

DO - 10.3847/2041-8205/823/1/L2

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84971611975

SN - 2041-8205

VL - 823

JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters

JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters

IS - 1

M1 - L2

ER -

FERMI-LAT OBSERVATIONS of the LIGO EVENT GW150914

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